Edo bans night grazing, orders clampdown on illegal arms

The Edo state government has banned night grazing in a bid to check clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Announcing the ban on Thursday, Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, also said herdsmen “or anyone else” will no longer be allowed to carry guns.

He said: “We will not accept anyone with firearms. Anyone found with arms will face the law. We need information to succeed in this fight and information is vital to the police and other security agencies.

“We have placed a ban on night herding; nobody should herd their cattle at night. We have also placed a ban on hunting activities by people from other states.”

Obaseki, who presided over a stakeholders’ meeting with the Serikis Hausa/Fulani from the 18 local government areas in the state, also set up a committee to find a solution to the crisis.

He charged the committee to review all cases of herdsmen/farmer clashes in all the local government areas”.

“The committees will ensure the registration of all the Serikis Fulani in every community across all the local government areas and the Seriki Fulani will liaise with everyone rearing cattle in the area,” he said.

The governor said there will also be another committee which will be headed by him and will include the state security chiefs and stakeholders in the various communities.

He added: “Every three months we will meet with representatives of the local government committees to review and examine the progress being made in resolving the herdsmen/farmers’ clashes in the state.

“A special team made up of the police, army, civil defence corps and other security agencies in the state will carry out random patrols and search operations.

“Any herdsman found possessing firearms will be arrested and charged with illegal possession of firearms as a cattle rearers do not need an AK 47 to herd cattle.”