Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has given herdsmen in the state a three-month ultimatum to register for easy identification.
They will pay N5,000 each for the registration to enable the government identify who should be held responsible in the event of any attack in the state.
Fayose also vowed to hold the Sarkin Fulani (Head of the Fulani) in the state, Muhammad Abashe, responsible for any further attacks in his domain.
The governor promised to forward an Executive bill to the House of Assembly, proposing a five-year jail term for anybody found guilty of harbouring “killer” herdsmen in the state.
These are the highlights of the weekend’s peace meeting between the governor and the leadership of the state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti.
The meeting was also attended by farmers, local hunters, security agencies and representatives of the Tiv community in Ado-Ekiti.
It was summoned in the wake of an attack by suspected “Bororo herdsmen” at Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area last Thursday where a Tiv farmer, Uyoga Iyape, was killed.
Apparently furious about the killing of the woman, who was eight months’ pregnant, Fayose accused Abashe of failing to provide good leadership that would have stopped his kinsmen from destroying lives and farms across the state.
He said: “Many of the Fulani herdsmen, who settled down here, did so without permission from anyone. No one can be living with us and we, their host, would not know who they are. They said some are strangers and only come briefly, but we don’t want that. Now, they would register with government for a token of N5,000. It is not their money that we need but their identity and locality. That N5,000 would be renewable after a year.
“We are sending a bill to the House of Assembly that anyone caught and found guilty of harbouring dangerous Fulani herdsmen would be jailed for five years without an option of fine.
“So, I urge every resident in Ekiti State to report anyone or stranger who is suspected to be a killer Fulani herdsman.”
Turning to Abashe, the governor said: “If you still want to stay among us, you must accept the responsibility to ensure that none of our people’s farms is destroyed by herdsmen any longer.”
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