Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose on Tuesday hit back at the Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, over its threat of violent reprisal on the alleged killing and arrest of their cattle.
The governor challenged Ekiti people to be on alert against any attack by herdsmen, saying: “I am therefore using this opportunity to put Ekiti people, especially residents of border towns in the State on red alert.
Ekiti people must be prepared to defend their land against these Philistines whose attributes and characters are extremism, violence, bloodshed and destruction.”
He also reiterated his resolve on the grazing law he signed in the state: “For the avoidance of doubt, the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Bill, 2016 that was signed into law on August 29, 2016 remains in force.
” Therefore, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria should rather tell its members to comply with this law by seeking for the government designated land for grazing ranch, which the government is always willing to give”.
While reacting to the governor’s inauguration of the Ekiti Grazing Law Enforcement Marshals, EGEM recently, Miyetti Allah, had said in a statement on Saturday that the Federal Government must intervene in the inauguration of the marshals, which the herdsmen alleged had shot five of their cows, warning that: “before this macabre incident develops into unquenchable inferno involving our members and Ekiti State government.”
MACBAN in the statement signed by its spokesman, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, said: “Fayose unleashed the marshals against our members whose herds of cattle had gone to a stream at Agon bridge on Federal Polytechnic Road between the time of 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to quench their thirst on Friday, October 2,” claiming that “the vigilance group shot five cows and carted away the meat, but the herdsman was able to flee with the rest of his cattle.
