The Bayelsa State Government has made good its promise to enforce its anti-open grazing to the letter with the arrest of some defaulters over the weekend.
This is even as it has read a riot act to cattle herders to abide by the existing anti-grazing law in the state or risk being arrested and prosecuted.
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly had on March 9 2021 passed the anti-open grazing law known as Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law which was signed into law by Governor Douye Diri on March 10 2021.
Diri had also set up the Livestock Management Committee headed by the Commissioner of Agricultural Resources with members also drawn from the security agencies to enforce the law.
According to investigations the enforcement chairman of the committee, Clever Inodu, in company of security agencies embarked on a routine patrol and were able to spot those violating at the law along Royal Tulip hotel (Onopa), Tombia-Amassoma and Zarama roads respectively.
Inodu ordered their arrest and urged other herdsmen to relocate to Bayelsa Palm where has been designated for them, warning that the committee would not tolerate volition of the law.
The state government has also issued a stern warning to herdsmen to abide by the existing anti-grazing law in the state or risk being arrested and prosecuted.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the warning at a meeting with the Chairman and members of the State Traditional Rulers Council in Government House, Yenagoa, on Thursday.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo said government had provided the enabling environment including designated grazing site at the Bayelsa Palm and therefore would not tolerate any criminal act on the part of herdsmen.
Responding to the concerns raised by the council on the influx of herdsmen into the state, he said government was aware and had put in place all necessary machinery to enforce the state anti-grazing law.
Ewhrudjakpo maintained that government “is taking proactive measures to avoid any situation that is capable of causing violence and bloody clashes, as witnessed elsewhere in the country.”
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