Following the death of two persons in Oke Ako in Ikole Local Government area of Ekiti State on May 20 by suspected herdsmen, Ekiti Council of Elders, has solicited for the enactment of law controlling grazing in the state.
The elders, who frowned at the destruction of farmlands and killings, in spite of the high level of hospitality of Ekiti people to Fulani herdsmen, urged government to resort to regulation through laws to protect the agricultural potentials of the state.
Sequel to the killing, which had led to the detention and prosecution of two accused persons by police, Fayose placed ban on free grazing in the state, promising to send a bill to the State House of Assembly to criminalize destruction of lives and property by herdsmen.
The elders warned that the people and the security agencies must keep vigil on the activities of the herdsmen to prevent sudden attack on any part of the state.
This call was contained in a memorandum entitled : ‘Reported Illegal Anti-social Activities of Nomadic Fulani Herdsmen in Ekiti State,’ and signed by the Chairman of the Council, Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi and Standing Committee Chairman, Chief Deji Fasuan and made available to newsmen on Thursday.
The elders said as much as they respect the rights of Nigerians to pursue their economic survival in any part of the country, they posited that no one also has the right to jeopardize the economic wellbeing of others .
Painting the advantages inherent in the laws, the elders stated that regulating grazing would preserve the existing peaceful co-existence between Ekiti and other ethnic nationals resident in the State.
“Any development that affects the agricultural based economy of the state poses dangerous threat to the very existence of the people.
“Historically there are no records of conflicts on land resource use between the Ekitis and the Fulani herdsmen. Also, there are no records of reprisals by our people to these unwarranted aggressions. Council calls for vigilance of all and to continue to monitor the activities of the herdsmen.
“Anticipating that the aggressions could be aggravated, this Council in November, 2015 , advised the state government accordingly and thereafter on 23rd November, 2015, held a joint meeting with the Ekiti Council of Obas on the killings examine the possibility of enacting a law to protect the citizenry from these vicious herdsmen.
“We support all well coordinated and articulated approaches that would ensure that the rights of Ekitis are not trampled upon and their existence are not in any way threatened,” they advised.
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