• Law’ll be implemented –Gov’s aide
From Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Counsel to Fulani herdsmen in Ekiti State, Mr. Umar Imam has condemned the anti-grazing law signed into law on Monday by Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The herdsmen, through their counsel, said the House of Assembly has no power to charge erring members of the association with terrorism for carrying light weapons.
Imam, acting for the Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria, a body of Fulani herdsmen, said herdsmen who carried light weapons like cutlasses, knives, catapult and arrows within the time stipulated by the new law could not be charged with terrorism, adding that the law contradicted the Anti-Terrorism Law as amended in the 1999 Constitution.
The law became effective on Monday following signing into law, a bill tagged: “Prohibition of cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti Bill, 2016 which prevented free grazing of cattle in the state and carrying of firearms by members as well restriction of grazing period to between 7.00am and 6.00pm.
The law specified that any herdsman found with arms during grazing would be charged with terrorism and be jailed for six months without an option of fine. The law also restricted grazing from 7.00am to 6.00pm and banned night grazing as well.
However, Imam said the Anti-Terrorism Law of the Federation stated clearly what constituted an infringement of the law and that carrying of lesser arms does not constitute offence under the provision.
“In my submission during a public hearing on the bill, I told them that these Fulani herdsmen used these lesser weapons for certain purposes to make grazing easier. I also told them that movement at night was to ensure that they don’t wreak havoc on the people during the day while relocating to other towns. Banning them from moving at night may not help the situation, it will make their jobs difficult,” Imam said.
Seriki of the association in Ekiti, Alhaji Ahmadu Mahmoud, appealed to Fayose to amend the new law, to allow his members to carry lesser arms to ward off attacks during grazing.
Mahmoud, who aligned with the time for grazing, however, said outright banning of night movement would make their jobs difficult and create more confusion. “How can somebody who wants to carry his cattle numbering hundreds from Ekiti to places like Lokoja, Ibadan or Ilorin moves during the day?
“These places are densely populated and it will create traffic congestion and confusion everywhere government must look into all these,” he said.
Reacting to Imam’s outburst, Governor Fayose’s Special Assistance on Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka said: “Well, the law has been made and it would be duly implemented. When the law takes its course, we would leave whatever arguement on the matter to the law court. I don’t want to advise Imam to encourage his people to contravene the law because what I believe should be most important for all of usn whether you are from the West, East, North or South in Nigeria is a genuine concern for the safety of lives and that of our property. In any case, the anti-grazing law is meant to protect all of us, whether Fulani or Yoruba or any other tribe. Our brothers from the north should not give the impression that the law is meant to discriminate against them because murder, criminilaity, death and others do not have tribe or religion.
Let them graze in their own Fulani land and sell their devilish cow in thier land also and people from the South go and buy cow from Fulani Land if they need cow to eat…
If the Fulani Herdsmen needs grass from the South let them come and purchase GRASS and go back to their Fulani Land to feed their cow.
THE SOUTH IN GENERAL WILL NEVER EVER NEED THE DEVILISH HERDSMEN TO GRAZE THEIR SATANIC COW IN THE LAND OF THE SOUTH .
THE FULANIS WANT TO COME AND TAKE EKITI AS THEY HAVE TAKEN KWARA…WITH THEIR DISGUISE OF GRAZING…
A law remains a law until abrogated by a court of Competence jurisdiction.
Leave herdsmen alone. Go and find solution to baby factory and the kidnapping rampage in the south.
At last, a Noble Son of Oduduwa,Chief Ayodele Fayose has
set a very good example for all our Southern Governors to
emulate.
To the new Sage and uncrowned Oba of great Oduduwa
Empire , I salute you in my Igbo Lingua Franca,” Odogwu Nwoke’m, dalu so! Iji ife-gi.Chukwu gozie gi.”
I only pray that this new Sage of our time, will not fall from
grace to grass like the late old Sage,who went out his way,
dining and hobnobbing with the devils, without providing himself with an extra-long spoon.Lol!!
I hope that those reprobates,greedy and avaricious Governors
of the South East in particular, and our entire South in general,
could borrow a leaf from our new Messiah of Ekiti State.
May Almight God guide and protect,Chief Ayodele Fayose!!
But Mallam Umar Imam ought to be reminded that the Fulanis
with all their Sultanate of Sokoto,Emirs, Imams all over the North, and their Kinsman as the President of this country,they are still sojourners,here in our fatherland.
The above message must not be lost on the Troglodytes,our
aliens neo-colonialist Fulanis and their Hausa/Kanuri mongrel
muslims.
Hai Biafra!!
We have always believe in Gov. Fayose of Ekiti State, I urge other Govs from the South and East to emulate from him.
He has really proved and shown love which is significant of protection of lives and properties in the entire Ekiti State.
The fulani herdsmen should go to their fulani land for grazing, they are very free to use even HMG and not light arms to graze.
Fight on Oga Fayose. We wish other Southern Governors, especially, the ones in South East, will take a clue from you. Bravo!
Oh!they have association and the association has a counsel(legal adviser).no wonder the impetus.what other associations(like okada,keke,etc) do is fitch out the bad eggs and infiltrators in their association for their individual and collective goodwill.the herdsmen association appears to be the opposite.my fear is the possible lukewarm attitude of the relevant security agencies towards implementation/enforcement since they are controlled by the federal government.yes,tribal bias is an ipso facto or will Ekiti introduce their own security agencies?
With this I salute the courage of Gov. Fayose any good governor will copy this,let stop all these sentiment people security come first. And also the Herdsmen has been taking people for granted for a long time,let them stay in North to rear their cattle while we pay for them if we need them and they pay us for grass. This is the best way out there will not be problem of weapons any more,you can’t go people houses or territory and goes against their rules. Gov Fayose well done you are a truly Yoruba man.