Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia, says the state government pays herders N100,000 for each cow killed as a result of clashes between them and farmers.

The state government on Tuesday accused herders of kidnapping citizens of the state and of destroying farmlands with cows grazing openly.

Despite banning open grazing in June 2018, herdsmen have reportedly continued to violate the law in the state.

Speaking on Wednesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Ikpeazu said the same sum is also paid to farmers whose farmland is destroyed by stray cows.

The governor said the initiative is meant to gain the trust of the people and to prevent them from taking the law into their own hands.

Asked what the state government is doing to enforce the law against open grazing, Ikpeazu said: ”We have a strong mechanism with which we deal with the normal and usual cattle herders. We have what we call farmer/herder conflict resolution committee from the state where the CP is chairman to the local governments where the executive chairmen of various local governments chair, and members of that committee include the Miyetti Allah, the DSS and DPO of the various local governments up until the state. And we pay compensation of about N100,000 for any cow that is killed on account of a misunderstanding between the farmers and the herders and pay the same amount for farmland verified to have been trampled on or destroyed by stray cows.

“We have used that to make sure that at least, we give some succor and buffer so that when people disagree, they can wait for that committee to look into the matter instead of taking laws into their own hands. But that is not to say that we have not recorded a spike in the activities of these criminal elements that come in kidnap, rape and kill farmers. More often than not, some of these criminal elements don’t even have a cow. We are targeting those people and we are going to punish them.”

Ikpeazu said the best way to solve the issue of farmer/herder crisis is for the federal government to tackle the root cause of the problem.

“Nigeria is not diagnosing the problem properly. The problems we face in this country are existential,” he said.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday said the Eastern Security Network (ESN), its security arm, will commence the implementation of the anti-grazing law in the south-east.

IPOB had issued a 14-day ultimatum to south-east governors to enforce the anti-grazing law.

AdolfAboki:
Ok.. I hope you compensate farmers too? Let there be justice. Let there be unity. Stop the killings. Let love lead the way.

God bless Nigeria.

Iamgrey5:
So you are also an Igbo boy

Your goverment who happens to be slaves are protecting Fulani while inviting the military to deal with Kanu ESN

The cowards with two Mouth.

AdolfAboki:
Ok.. I hope you compensate farmers too? Let there be justice. Let there be unity. Stop the killings. Let love lead the way.

God bless Nigeria.

SilverNorGold:


You have spoken like a true patriot. God bless you too and every well-meaning Nigerian.

SilverNorGold:


You have spoken like a true patriot. God bless you too and every well-meaning Nigerian.




Today them go call me Fulani, tomorrow them go call me Yoruba.. The other day na Hausa them call me, now I be Igbo...

CAPSLOCKED called me a Christian fanatic. Agboriotejoye and TruthHurts1 called me a Muslim fanatic.. When I protested Righteousness89's ban, I was called a Christian fanatic.. Recently, some guys said I am an atheist... I dun tire...

My beloved NAIRALANDERS, please help me... Who really am I?

seunmsg:
Sunday Igboho will soon be in Abia to rescue the people from crimina lherders. He will ensure they stop paying 100k foe every cow killed

GuyWise101:

Nna mehnnnnnnnnnn


We are on top of the matter no need in inviting Sunday.


fulanis that is not upto 1000 in SE can never defeat 40m Igbos

Iamgrey5:
Then why is your governors paying them money to stop maiming you guys?

GuyWise101:

Nna mehnnnnnnnnn


That was THEN not NOW.


ESN is here to make sure that rubbish is stoped

GuyWise101:

Nna mehnnnnnnnnn


That was THEN not NOW.


ESN is here to make sure that rubbish is stoped

chiiraq802:


You are nothing but a loosed Zombie.