…I reject cattle colonies in Plateau, says Gov. Lalong
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) says there is no need to set up cattle colonies in the South East geopolitical zone.
Alhaji Sadiq Gidado, the Chairman of MACBAN in Anambra, said this on Friday at a news conference in Awka.
He said that the establishment of cattle colonies in the area was not necessary because of the harmonious relationship existing between members of the association and the residents.
He, however, underscored the need to strengthen the mutual understanding and synergy between MACBAN and the people in the zone.
Gidado bemoaned the incessant farmer-herdsman clashes in some parts of the country, saying that the two parties were coexisting peacefully in the South East zone.
“Cattle breeding in Anambra is different from what obtains in other states; here in Anambra; we are working in synergy with the security operatives, the indigenes and the state government through the Cattle Menace Control Committee.
“To me, anti-open grazing bill, cattle colonies and ranches are just political creations; these concepts are created by politicians to bring disharmony between farmers and herdsmen.
“In the South-East, the proposed cattle colonies cannot work; you cannot just take somebody’s land and give to another person to conduct his own business; it is not right.
“Here in the zone, it is virtually impossible to operate cattle colonies, as there is harmonious relationship existing between the herdsmen and the farmers.
“The cattle colonies they are talking about are already existing in the North,” he said.
Gidado, who is a member of the Cattle Menace Control Committee, commended the governors of the South-East states for being proactive by setting up the committee which had ensured peace.
He blamed some frictions recorded in the region on migrant cattle breeders, who were not members of MACBAN in the zone, saying that the association had put in place some measures to forestall future incidents.
“We thank the governors of the South-East states, especially the Anambra and Enugu state governors, who constituted these committees that are coordinating our activities.
“The regulation is that you only graze where there are no farms. If you destroy farmlands intentionally or unintentionally, you must be punished for what you have done and be made to pay for what you have destroyed.
“And if the people in the communities kill a Fulani man or his cow, you pay damages accordingly; we have a good structure that enables the effective management of our members,” Gidado said. – NAN.
Meanwhile, Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, on Friday, formally opened up and rejected the proposal by the Federal Government for cattle colonies.
He also described as “false, malicious and highly mischievous”, reports in the social media that he had carved out parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas for the creation of cattle colonies.
Lalong is said to be a strong ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and had has never criticised his government or any of his wrong policies.
Political pundits say his support for the President was a ploy to get favour and give him automatic ticket for reelection in the 2019 governorship election.
Lalong in a Government House statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dan Manjang, advised all peace-loving citizens of Plateau State to “discountenance such mischievous information” and gravitate towards issues of unity, rather than those that divide them.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has been drawn to the news making the rounds, particularly in the Social Media that parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos LGAs have been carved out for the creation of colonies for cattle, in fulfilment of his promises to the Fulani who have pressured him, to either cede those areas or he faces the other side of their viciousness which may cost his aspirations.
“The Governor herein after state unequivocally that this thinking is not only the figment of the imagination of its authors, who want to make political capital out of it, but false, malicious and highly mischievous.
“Governor Simon Bako Lalong has and does not contemplate such action and he further call on all good citizens of Plateau to bury such imagination of these elements bent on throwing the State into confusion. Cattle colonies are not in the imagination of Governor Lalong.
“Consequently, the Governor urge all peace loving citizens of Plateau State to discountenance such mischievous information but to gravitate towards issues that unite us rather than those that divide us.”
