The Bayelsa State government has given all herdsmen 14 days to move their animals from farmlands and bushes across the state to the Elebele Palm in the outskirts of Yenagoa, or risk having their animals seized.
Mr. David Alagoa, who is the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources and chairman of the committee told journalists after a meeting between the committee and some South-South chapters of the MACBAN at the Ministry in Yenagoa, the state capital.
“So, we’ve agreed that we give them a moratorium period of 10 days and by the 14th day, which falls on the 10th of April, we will start impounding (cows).
“If you are interested in the cattle business in Bayelsa, the governor has opened up business opportunities of the huge value chain in the meat business. It is time now. If you have land and you want to ranch, you can ranch, since we are going purely for ranching. If you want to plant grass and sell for cattle, you can sell.”
After the expiration of the grace period, the government would seize all animals being moved by foot, both night and day, the commissioner warned.
The order to the herders followed the recent enactment of a law “Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law 2021”.
The law prohibits open grazing by livestock in the state, and is aimed at ensuring harmony between cattle dealers and citizens of the state.
Enforcement of the law in Bayelsa comes a little over a week after herdsmen opened fire on Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, who has been a champion of the anti-grazing law.
A group that claimed responsibility for the attack listed as one of Ortom’s sins the enactment of the anti-open grazing law in Benue, and vowed that it would fight any governor that toes the same line.
He further explained that the order was given “after due consideration, taking into cognizance the technicalities involved in the cattle business.”
Akpoebi Agberebi, a retired commissioner of police, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters said, the law was not aimed at any ethnic or religious group.
