CATTLE REARING, NIGHT GRAZING BANNED IN ENUGU- GOV. UGWUANYI
Grazing and rearing of cattle at night was yesterday banned in Enugu State after a meeting between Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and leaders of Fulani/Shuwa Arab herdsmen in the state. Also banned are the carrying of firearms or any form of ammunition by the herdsmen and movement of cattle from one location to another at night in the state. This decision was arrived at during a peace committee meeting made up of representatives of the various interest groups from the Fulani/ Shuwa Arab Community and representatives and security agencies, among other stakeholders in the state. During the meeting convened by Ugwuanyi, and also attended by leaders of some communities affected by the herdsmen menace in the state, it was also decided that compensation would be paid by herdsmen whose cattle destroyed farm crops while the communities would pay for any cattle killed by their members. Ugwanyi had convened the meeting in furtherance of ongoing efforts by the state government to find lasting solutions to the lingering clashes between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities, especially in the wake of the recent Nimbo killings. According to the decision, violators of these resolutions would be made to face the full wrath of the law. Present at the meeting were the secretary of the Fulani Community in the state, Bala Ardo, the leader of the Fulani community, Alhaji AdoSaidu Basu, and the leader of the Shuwa Arab community in the state, Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya, while the traditional ruler of Ibute Nze led leaders of three communities of Akpakwume, Ezi Nze and Ibute Nze communities in Udi council area of the state who also attended the meeting.