Ekiti enforces ban on underage herding, night grazing to protect farmers

In a decisive move to bolster food production and protect agricultural interests, the Ekiti State government has announced a ban on underaged herding and night grazing across the state.

Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana (retd), the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, issued a warning to herders, urging them not to undermine the government’s significant investments in agriculture by allowing their livestock to invade and damage farmland.

“We have the Anti-Grazing Law which is an Act of the state House of Assembly,” Ogundana stated during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, organized by the Ekiti State Farmers/Herders Peace Committee.

The ban aims to foster peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding between farmers and pastoralists. “The law is to ensure that there is no grazing at night, prohibition of underage from grazing, no grazing on the farmlands, and the defaulters are to be dealt with according to the law of the land,” he explained, emphasizing that the government would enforce strict penalties for violations.

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The committee led by Ogundana was established by Governor Biodun Oyebanji in 2023 to resolve conflicts between farmers and herders in the state. “Since the government will not fold its arms and allow the lawlessness to continue, the Herders/Farmers Peace Committee was inaugurated by Governor Oyebanji in 2023,” he said, highlighting the committee’s role in facilitating dialogue between the two groups.

Ogundana urged traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and representatives of farmers and herders to create forums for open communication. He noted, “We need to address the issues of suspicion and trespasses by either party and educate one another on the importance of abiding by the anti-grazing law of the state.”

Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, emphasized the importance of security for farmers, stating that Governor Oyebanji plans to invest further in agriculture in 2025. “This year alone, the government had invested over N2bn in agriculture,” Boluwade said, highlighting the necessity of ensuring safety for farmers to encourage greater agricultural productivity.

The state Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, praised the governor’s initiatives to maintain peace and security. He urged traditional leaders to take an active role in community safety by forming local security vigilantes.

Oba Gabriel Adejuwon, the Onisan of Isan Ekiti and a representative of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, called for heightened vigilance from security agencies, expressing confidence in the government’s commitment to ensuring peace and security throughout the state.

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