Like Ohanaeze, Yoruba elders reject cattle colonies, insist on restructuring

Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) have joined the list of growing oppositions against the plan by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to establish cattle colonies across the country for herdsmen.

The Federal Government had on the heels of New Year day’s wanton killings of over 70 people in Benue State and attacks in some other states by suspected herdsmen, announced a proposal to establish cattle colonies across the country as a means of ending incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

But YCE, at the end of its 26th National Executive Council meeting, held in Ibadan on Thursday frowned at the proposal, declaring like Ohanaeze Ndigbo and some other groups in the country that they are totally against the proposal and would resist it in the South-West zone.

The elders noted that restructuring of the country and not establishment of cattle colonies or grazing reserves, can proffer the needed solution by wanton killings by herdsmen.

The group further expressed worries that the government of Buhari has been unable to arrest anybody three weeks after the murder of some people in Benue State, adding that the kid glove treatment of Myetti Allah speaks volumes about the neutrality of the presidency on the matter.

Dr. Kunle Olajide, Secretary-General YCE, who spoke on behalf of the group said, “YCE totally rejects cattle colony and anti-grazing law as solutions to Fulani herdsmen brutality. We believe restructuring is the only solution. Once the restructuring is done, it will solve all these problems.”

READ ALSO: ‘Fulani do not carry arms’- Sultan

“The Federal Government is encouraging Nigerians to go into farming. If we are promoting agriculture and Fulani herdsmen move about with their cattle destroying the farmlands. That is a paradox.”

Warning that the zone would never allow any cattle colony which only favours the Fulani herdsmen, he added, “Cattle-rearing and farming are business ventures. No businessman will expect any government to come and run his business for him.”

 

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