The National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, made this statement in Ilorin during the inauguration of a new executive for the Kwara State chapter of the association at the weekend.
While stressing the need for peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in the state, Othman-Ngelzarma charged the new executive to prioritize harmony between the two groups.
“We have instructed our members and the new executive to ensure that there is mutual understanding between pastoralists and farmers in Kwara State. No one should trespass on farmland or allow underage boys to graze cattle at night. This is unacceptable,” he said.
The MACBAN president further stated that night grazing is often a deliberate act to provoke conflict.
He noted that the association recognizes the value both farmers and pastoralists place on their livelihoods,
Othman-Ngelzarma lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for creating the Ministry of Livestock, a move he believes will significantly boost the country’s economy.
The MACBAN leader also addressed the growing insecurity in the country, which he described as increasingly complex and involving criminal activities such as kidnapping and banditry.
He called for a united front to combat the issue, noting that pastoralists are both perpetrators and victims of these crimes.
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