Herdsmen destroy farmlands in Rivers despite open grazing ban

Despite the ban on open grazing by Southern governors, Fulani herdsmen still graze their cattle openly in most states including Rivers, Abia and Imo.

This is as farmers in Ogoni land have raised the alarm over the presence of thousands of cows in the area which they said have been used to destroy their crops.

A rights activist, Golden Nwibakpo who raised the alarm said herdsmen with flocks of cattle are destroying crops in farmlands at Nyokana axis of Khana Local Government Area.

He said that the visitors are passing through the Ndoki area to Okwale, Loore and parts of Daen 1, 2 & 3 in Ogoniland.

He warned that if their movement is unchecked, they may soon move into Boue, Gwara, Taabaa and kaa Communities also in Khana.

The governors had on May 12 in Asaba banned the movement of cattle in the region.

However, Wike had a week later said he would go an extra mile to legalise the ban, a task he has failed to carry out.

Checks by Standard Observers revealed that apart from Rivers, other states like Abia, Imo and Enugu still have cows roaming the streets despite the ban on open grazing.

Bayelsa state seems to be the only state that has treated the ban with a level of seriousness after the state assembly enacted a law prohibiting the movement of cattle.

Last week, the state’s anti-grazing task force confiscated 30 cows for violating the anti-grazing ban.