The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji has called on Seyi Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria to sign into law the anti-grazing bill passed by the state House of Assembly since October 2019.
The monarch made the call on Saturday at the installation ceremony of Dr Fayemi Fakayode as the Mogaji of Onibudo family at the Ibadan House, Oke Aremo, Yemetu, Ibadan.
Oba Adetunji was represented at the event by Chief Shina Olatunji Aresa, the Mogaji of Okiti Family in Ibadan.
While calling for efforts towards mass irrigation farming in the new year, he expressed concern over alleged killing of farmers and destruction of crops by herdsmen.
He argued that hunger and food crisis may be averted if the Federal Government would address insecurity and ensure protection for farmers in the state.
“We can avert hunger and food crisis if the federal government can come to the aid of farmers and provide security for farmers, situations where farmers were killed and maimed in their farmlands, situations where crops were destroyed by cattle will not attract young Nigerians to farming,” Olubadan said.
“We are also using this opportunity to call on our governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to sign the Anti-grazing law of Oyo State to make the perpetrators of farm destruction and attacks on farmers have a rethink before committing such crime, this will also give assurance to those that are interested in farming.”
HumAngle gathered that some farming communities in Oyo state, such as Iganna-Ilero, Lanlate, Iwajowa, Igangan, among others are often terrorized by armed herdsmen, who allegedly graze their cattle into people’s farms and destroy their crops.
On December 11, 2020, Fatai Aborode, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State was killed by unknown gunmen.
Aborode was reportedly killed in his farm along Apodun road, Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of the state.
Also, a special report by Premium Times narrates how suspected fulani herdsmen raped, kidnapped and killed helpless farmers in Lanlate community.
According to the report, many farmers have fled the community, leaving their unharvested crops to rot.
Earlier Saturday, Shina Abiola (Shina Peller), a member of the House of Representatives from the state, expressed concern over worsening insecurity in his constituency.
Peller who represents Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, while featuring on an interview programme, Southwest Political Circuit, on Ibadan-based Fresh FM, called on the relevant security agencies to come to the rescue of his people.
At the moment, only Ekiti, Benue and Taraba states have signed the anti-grazing law.
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