– Farmers in Ekiti have stormed the street in protest over herdsmen and cattle
– The protest is a result of cattle destroying crops worth N35 million
– Meanwhile, the state government has promised to bring to bear the anti-grazing law
Ekiti state governor put forth an anti-grazing bill to deter Fulani herdsmen
Trouble broke out in Ekiti state as farmers stormed the streets on Tuesday, March 21 to protest the activities of herdsmen in Oke Ako, which they said have resulted in the destruction of crops worth N35 million.
The protesters who took their protest to the offices of Governor Ayodele Fayose and the Commissioner for Agriculture, Kehinde Odebunmi, said herdsmen leading their cattle for grazing in the area have destroyed their maize farms covering over 30 hectares and over 20 hectares of cassava.
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The farmers who said they were operating under a farming scheme known as the Ipao Youth in Commercial Agriculture Cooperative (CAC) in partnership with Matna Foods in Akure, Ondo state also went to the Ekiti state House of Assembly.
Kola Oluwawole the speaker of the House addressed them. Rotimi Fapohunda speaking on behalf of the farmers explained to the speaker that the maize farming was started with N3 million in partnership with Matna; saying their hopes had been shattered by the destruction.
He said: “Shortly after we started planting, we noticed that some herdsmen used to come for
grazing around that area at night.
“Later, we started noticing the presence of cows on the farms at noon, but we didn’t see the owners.
“But last weekend, we went to farm and saw that all the cassava and maize that had grown up had been destroyed by cattle and efforts to get the owners were futile.
“We were even afraid to kill the cattle because the herdsmen used to go about with guns despite the law prohibiting that, because they can turn against us and start
“We are jobless graduates and this is what we do for survival. Our lives depend on this and the government of Ekiti state must save us.”
Mr Oluwawole condemned the destruction and said young graduates who are interested in commercial farming might be dissuaded by such.
The speaker added that the state government would enforce the anti-grazing law in curtailing the situation, saying the law is no respecter of anyone.
He said: “The law is no respecter of anyone. We can’t fold our arms and allow people to be frustrating the efforts of our young generations.
“How can this happen at a time when government is making efforts to persuade the youth to go into farming.
“We are not unaware of the colossal damage these herdsmen are doing to our crops, but this has to stop.
“The government of Governor Fayose is making frantic efforts in this regard, and this led to the enactment of anti-grazing law; and the implementation I want to assure you won’t spare anyone.”
READ ALSO: One dead as Ekiti commissioner escapes protest lynching
Meanwhile, two persons were killed during a clash between herders and farmers in the same community in May last year, resulting in legislation by the government banning grazing in certain areas and hours of the day.
And about a month ago, a Fulani herdsman was killed by unknown assailants while he was grazing his cattle in Omu town, Oye local government area.
Dele was pursued by some men until they finally caught him a few kilometres away from the town and killed him.
Governor Ayo Fayose vowed to fish out the perpetrators of the crime although he denied that it was a rift between herdsmen and farmers.
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