A Lagos lawmaker, Abiodun Tobun, on Thursday warned the Federal Government not to embrace the cattle colony option in resolving the persistent herdsmen attacks in the country.
Mr Tobun, representing Epe Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
“It is wrong to allow cattle to move around in search of pasture and in the process destroying food crops,’’ Tobun, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Works and Infrastructure of the house said
He said that the way out was for the herders to embrace ranches to end the deadly attacks on farmers and communities.
“The practice of open grazing is archaic and obsolete and we have suffered enough from such practice.
“Those involved in cattle business should get ranches and plant grasses for their animals to feed on.
“Whoever wants to rear cattle should have ranches for peace to reign, without peace all efforts will be in vain,” he said.
He noted that he had friends, having between 400 and 500 cows and that they had built ranches for their animals.
The lawmaker said that the government should stop the persistent killings by herdsmen, advising security agencies to tackle the proliferation of arms in the country.
“It is equally imperative on the Nigerian Immigration authorities to control our borders so that foreign elements would not come in anyhow and attack people we are meant to protect.”
Mr Tobun advised government to adopt diplomatic solution to in resolving the attacks.
“It is better to adopt diplomacy to nip the attacks in the bud before the attacks degenerate into a full-blown crisis.
“The herdsmen should be called to a round table meeting for discussion. It is uncalled for to be moving cattle round in the 21st century.
On January 18, the Federal Government inaugurated a 10-man committee, headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, saddled with the responsibility of ending the herdsmen killings.
NAN
