Open grazing ban: Herders begin evacuation of cows from Rivers communities

Herders in Alode, Aleto and other parts of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State have begun evacuating their cattle to the North following the ban on Open Grazing by Southern governors.

The governors had at a meeting in Asaba, the Delta State Capital agreed to ban open grazing in the region.

Wike, who was part of the resolution, said last week in Bori, the headquarters of Khana local government that he would take extra steps to ensure the ban stands.

The federal government through the office of the attorney general, Abubakar Malami, slammed the governors, saying that the ban was illegal and unconstitutional.

It was, however, gathered that herders in the state have started evacuating their cattle to the North following the ban.

A community source in Alode told theportcitynews that trucks have been in the community evacuating the herders and their cows.

He said: “Nobody disturbs them but they’re moving. Maybe it is because of the ban on open grazing by the governors. Over five trailers are in the community evacuating them”.

Last month, women from some communities in Eleme protested the increasing attacks on their lives and farmlands by herders.

They called on the state government to come to their aid as they could no longer go to farm over the fear of being killed by the herders.