It has been reported that the South-West governors and prominent traditional rulers in the region held a meeting on ways to tackle insecurity and farmer-herdsmen crisis in the South West.
The Governors, who attended the meeting included the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola; Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Traditional rulers who were also at the meeting included the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Babatunde Ajayi; Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan; Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunnjso 1; and Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao.
According to reports, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of South-West, David Folawiyo, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, and other heads of security organisations in the state were at the meeting.
After the meeting, the Chairman, South-West Governors’ Forum, Akeredolu, revealed that it was agreed that each state should manage its forests and get rid of criminals.
Akeredolu revealed that, “We discussed that as we are supporting other areas of farming, like rice farmers and others, the need for the government to support cattle breeding is now. And one of the ways we can support cattle breeding is to change the ways and means that cattle breeders are using now”.
Stressing this further, he said,
“So, you can find designated grazing areas where you can graze, you can have feed mills where you can feed, you do not have to trek many kilometres with your herds. But things that will lead to open grazing in these modern times must be looked at and the state and Federal Government, in particular, should give support as much as we can to cattle breeders”.
He added that, “We all agreed that our borders have become too porous and that we need to do something urgently to prevent foreign herdsmen from coming into this country without any form of caution. This is because a number of them have come in with their herds and what they do is of concern to us”.
He also said that, “We all believe that our borders need to be checked and we need to tighten our borders so that all those foreigners from Niger Republic and those beyond bordering states don’t come in with their herds and destroy our farms”.
He pointed out that, “We all agreed that the time is now that we support the decision of National Economic Council about forest management and that they believe that all the states should be in a position to manage their forest. This will give enough room for you to determine who is there, what purpose are they serving, and where you have people illegally. The state should be able to take some steps so that you can preserve our forest”.
Making reference to Bauchi state Governor submission that Nigerians don’t need the permission of any Governor to live in the forest, Akeredolu has said the statement was “provoking and insensitive”.
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