OWERRI/Nigeria: To avert further clash between farmers and herdsmen in Imo State, the leadership of Imo state Police command, Miyetti Allah, monarchs as well as farmers, today, January 29, 2018 has agreed to enforce the payment of compensation to owners of farms destroyed by herdsmen.
They unanimously spoke in a joint meeting held at the Imo state Police command, presided over by the commissioner of police, Mr. Chris Ezike.
It was also agreed that if cattle were killed by farmers that there would be a compensation for the herders, Just as the Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Audi Diko, apologized to farmers in the state over destruction of their farms by herdsmen.
While Eze Gorege Eke, Ubomiri Community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, insisted that the federal government should adopt cattle ranching, the Commissioner of Police said that they decided to shelve aside the issue of cattle colony because it was under the decision of the federal government. As part of their resolutions as outlined by Ezike, “We have agreed that our mechanism at the local government level made up of the chairman of the constitution committee, the DPO, the officer in charge of SSS, the traditional rulers, the representatives of the farmers and herders, that committee should be strengthened in the twenty seven local government areas in the state.
“So that they will be able to receive reports of incidents when they are needed and try to solve those problems”.
“That the police and other security agencies, should redouble their efforts in identifying these herders of unknown origin who operate especially around Okigwe area, find out whether they are coming in from Abia or Enugu”.
“And ensure that criminal offences are committed that they dealt with according to the law.”
“We also agreed that the issue of justice and fair play will always come into being. The cattle is not somebody. Cattle is an animal and it must always be an animal.”
“In case cattle strays into farms and destroys farms the committees at the local level must ensure justice is done through appropriate competition. “Covertly, if farmers or any other person go to kill cattle, the committee should also look into it and ensure that justice is done, the moment justice is done to both wings there will be peace in the area.
“Ohaji/Egbema was mentioned to be a safe haven for herders, incidentally Egbema/Ohaji has been carved out as a new area command.”
