Benue herders claim rustling of 340 cattle
The Ekiti State government is to forward a bill seeking the repeal of the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State to the House of Assembly, and to enact the Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State.
The government said the enactment was part of a multi-pronged approach to effectively avert herders/farmers conflict in the state. The Commissioner for Information and Value Orientation, Taiwo Olatunbosun, in a statement yesterday, said the move was part of the decisions reached at a virtual state executive meeting.
According to him, the proposed piece of legislation is titled, “A Bill to make a Law for the repeal of the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Law No. 4 of 2016, and to enact the Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Law of 2025.”
Olatunbosun said that the new bill seeks to involve traditional rulers and council chairmen in the settlement of herders for grazing purposes in any community.
He added that the request makes it compulsory to inform the governor before the settlement of any herder in any community in the state. Recall that the earlier law did not have provisions for the involvement of traditional rulers and council bosses in the settlement of herders in communities within the state.
Other highlights, according to the commissioner, include: “Making provision for procedures for compulsory certification and registration of herdsmen for settlement for grazing purposes in Ekiti State.
“To expressly state the offences and penalties for contravening the extant Law on Prohibition of Unguarded Grazing of Cattle and other Ruminants in the State.”
IN a related development, the Benue State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, yesterday, said no fewer than 340 cattle belonging to its members were rustled last month.
A statement by the association’s state secretary, Ibrahim Galma, in Makurdi, explained that the incidents occurred in Agatu and parts of Guma Local Council. He claimed that cattle rustlers operating in the Agatu council area have extended their activities to parts of Kogi State. He said: “On 19/7/2025, suspected criminals from Eguma community in Agatu LGA rustled 73 cattle belonging to Sale Abubakar (Fulani herder), and up till now, the said cattle have not been recovered.
“On 21/7/2025, another criminal gang from Agatu communities rustled 80 cattle belonging to Ardo Sarkin Fulani Bagana. These cattle were rustled in Kogi, close to the border areas with Agatu LGA, Benue State. The said criminals moved the cattle into the Agatu communities. Later, 30 out of the 80 cattle were recovered within Agatu, leaving 50 unrecovered.
“On 24/7/2025, another 213 cattle belonging to Garah Mobaba were also rustled by criminal youths from Agatu communities. This also happened at the border areas between Kogi State and the Agatu LGA of Benue State. This situation is also happening in some parts of Guma LGA of Benue State, where a lot of cattle rustling and killing of herders have been repeatedly reported.”
The association appealed to the state government to investigate the incidents, bring the perpetrators to justice, and compensate the victims to foster peace and coexistence.
