From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri said the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on those who violate the Anti-Grazing Law of the state to ensure the continued protection of lives and property of citizens.

Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor stated this on Wednesday in Government House Yenagoa, during an interactive meeting with local government chairmen, traditional rulers and other community leaders from six local government areas currently experiencing herdsmen’s invasion.

He stressed that the Anti-Grazing Law of the state was enacted to forestall violent clashes between herders and owners of farmlands which had resulted in wanton destruction of lives and property in some parts of the country.

Senator Diri, who condemned the recent incidents reportedly perpetrated by herdsmen in some communities in the state, said about 2 weeks ago, a woman from Amarata community in Yenagoa, the state capital, was raped by the cattle rearers on her farm, while another was attacked to death in Ogbia.

The governor reiterated his charge on traditional rulers and local government council chairmen to take charge of their domains and enforce the Anti-Grazing Law towards ensuring peace and stability across the communities of the state.

He equally called on youths particularly youth presidents, community development committees (CDC) as well as women leaders to be vigilant of any security breach in their communities and report to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.

Diri also directed all the local government council chairmen to activate the Anti-Grazing Law by forming enforcement committees and submit the list of members of Committee within the next 3 days to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

His words:” By Friday, all local government council chairmen must submit their anti-grazing committee members to the office of the SSG. We are in a semi emergency situation and we need to deal with it as an emergency.

“Going forward, paramount rulers of communities that superintend their areas as second or third class rulers must monitor and promptly report to the government. If you don’t report to us and we come there to find out you will be our guest through the police. So the responsibility of keeping your domain safe is now laid on your shoulders.”

“Youth presidents should not concern themselves with only issues of development levy. I am a little bit embarrassed that the same Epie-Atissa youths who are always going round and collecting money from anybody who wants to develop their land cannot go to the forest and challenge these herdsmen. That is cowardice, timidity and primitiveness.

This meeting is to remind all that an Anti-grazing law exists in this state. And the Governor despite his lenient, simple and peace-loving disposition will not allow this Ijaw land to be invaded by any herdsmen.

“No inch of Ijawland has ever been conquered. If our fathers handed over an unconquered land to us, then we have a duty to protect that unconquered territory and also hand it over to our children unconquered,” he declared.

In his remarks, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei emphasised the need for effective collaboration between communities, clans and the state government to check the menace, stressing that open-grazing is not allowed in the state.

In their contributions, the Chairman, State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo and Paramount Ruler of Igbogene Community, Prof. Augustine Ekein, urged the government to be more preventive by effectively policing the entry points of the herdsmen and their animals.

While acknowledging the role of community leaders in implementing the Anti-grazing law, they submitted that not much will be achieved with mere reporting of the presence of herdsmen in the communities, if drastic measures were not taken against violators of the law.

Also speaking, Paramount Ruler of Edepie Community, Chief Shadrach Etidie, recalled the harrowing experience his community suffered in the hands of police for taking steps to tackle the menace and urged security agencies to support communities in enforcing the Anti-Grazing Law.