Governors’ Forum Meet Miyetti Allah, Sues for Peace

Following the rising tension and insecurity in the south-west, on Monday, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum met with the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) over the looming crisis. The meeting was aimed at finding lasting solutions to the recurrent killing, kidnapping and herder-farmer clashes.

Last week, the Presidency and the Ondo state government traded blame over the status of Fulani herdsmen in the state. Similarly, Mr Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho led his supporters to Ibarapa in Oyo State to evict Fulani herdsmen in the area after the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum he issued to them.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, led his colleagues from Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Kebbi and Jigawa states to meet with the leadership of MACBAN and security agencies. The meeting, which held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (DOME), Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State also had other stakeholders in attendance.

According to a communique issued after the meeting, some of the resolutions of the meeting include:

• The order of the Ondo State Governor was misconstrued and misrepresented by a section of the media. He only ordered those occupying the Forest Reserves in Ondo State illegally to quit.
• Criminals should be apprehended and punished, no matter their origin, class or status.
• Security agencies have been trying to stem the tide of criminality in the country but must step up their efforts in the fight.
• There is the need to build a partnership for peace and security with MACBAN and jointly wage war against criminality.
• No one had sent anyone away from any state or region but all hands must be on deck to fight criminality.
• MACBAN is a peace-loving, law-abiding organisation which does not harbour or condone criminals and agreed that:
  1. Night grazing should be banned henceforth
  2. Underage herding is inimical to security and hence be banned
  3. Occupation of State Forest Reserves illegally is condemned

Herdsmen were also advised to embrace modern rearing practices which prevent livestock from roaming. State governments were also asked to set up a committee which would comprise of herders and farmers for synergy.