Posts
 |
| Fulani herdsmen |
Farmers in Ondo state have protested against the
activities of marauding Fulani herdsmen in the state, as collosal losses
of agricultural produce are mounting after the invasion of farms in
Ondo by Fulani herdsmen and their cattle.
Crops worth millions of naira were destroyed by Fulani-herded cattle, with the cattle grazing the farms, and trampling on essential crops, including maize.
Rising from its meeting last month, the Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association demanded N2 billion compensation from the Federal Government for the colossal loss suffered by cocoa and oil palm plantations affected during the rampage. The meeting was attended by 24 agricultural commodity associations.
In a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Akinola Olotu and its Secretary, Obaweya Gbenga, the group called for “urgent government assistance” for the affected farmers. The group said the menace of the nomads had transcended just grazing on crops, with “a new dimension of bush burning, rape and physical attack with machetes, robbery, kidnapping and destruction being recorded across the state.”
The group called for measures to deal with nomadic Fulani herdsmen. According to the group, the activities of the nomads make them more dangerous and destructive, as they also destroy properties during their raids.
The farmers said they were living in perpetual fear due to the activities of the Fulani cattle rearers.
They said they can no longer entertain Fulani herdsmen and their cattle because they are not law abiding. According to them, a petition has been sent to the National Assembly to register their concern over the increasing threat to life and properties constituted by the Fulani nomads.
In protest, the group urged Ondo people and Southwest Nigeria natives to boycott or abstain from buying, selling and eating beef throughout the month of March in solidarity with the farmers.
The group warned that it would resist any attempt to create any grazing zone in the state, because there is hardly a space of one kilometre between farms across the state.
“We reject the idea of acquiring land in our state for the purpose of planting grass to feed nomadic cattle. The Federal Government should please restrict this idea to the Northern region and irrigate the grass there, like it’s done to other crops there,” the group said.
Crops worth millions of naira were destroyed by Fulani-herded cattle, with the cattle grazing the farms, and trampling on essential crops, including maize.
Rising from its meeting last month, the Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association demanded N2 billion compensation from the Federal Government for the colossal loss suffered by cocoa and oil palm plantations affected during the rampage. The meeting was attended by 24 agricultural commodity associations.
In a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Akinola Olotu and its Secretary, Obaweya Gbenga, the group called for “urgent government assistance” for the affected farmers. The group said the menace of the nomads had transcended just grazing on crops, with “a new dimension of bush burning, rape and physical attack with machetes, robbery, kidnapping and destruction being recorded across the state.”
The group called for measures to deal with nomadic Fulani herdsmen. According to the group, the activities of the nomads make them more dangerous and destructive, as they also destroy properties during their raids.
The farmers said they were living in perpetual fear due to the activities of the Fulani cattle rearers.
They said they can no longer entertain Fulani herdsmen and their cattle because they are not law abiding. According to them, a petition has been sent to the National Assembly to register their concern over the increasing threat to life and properties constituted by the Fulani nomads.
In protest, the group urged Ondo people and Southwest Nigeria natives to boycott or abstain from buying, selling and eating beef throughout the month of March in solidarity with the farmers.
The group warned that it would resist any attempt to create any grazing zone in the state, because there is hardly a space of one kilometre between farms across the state.
“We reject the idea of acquiring land in our state for the purpose of planting grass to feed nomadic cattle. The Federal Government should please restrict this idea to the Northern region and irrigate the grass there, like it’s done to other crops there,” the group said.
No comments:
Post a Comment