The Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, has revealed that the state government has arrested 58 cows in the past two years as part of its anti-open grazing law enforcement efforts.

Olaleye disclosed this during an inter-ministerial press briefing held in Ibadan, the capital of the state.
The commissioner added that the state has also charged and imposed fines on erring herdsmen who have flouted the law.

“More than 58 cows have been arrested in the last two years. We have imposed fines on many herdsmen for violating the law. We have charged some herdsmen to court,” he said.

Further speaking, the commissioner reiterated that the anti-open grazing law is still being enforced in the state.

“The anti-open grazing law is still in force. We have constructed a security post at Ijaye Farm Settlement. So, no farmer has left the Ijaye Farm Settlement.

“In order to ensure food security, we have also talked with some communities to give us their lands they are not using for us to use for agricultural production,” he added.

Oyo State is one of the states in Nigeria that has enforced the anti-open grazing law to curb farmer-herder conflicts.

The Oyo State House of Assembly had passed the anti-open grazing bill in 2019. The bill was later signed into law by the Governor of the state, Seyi Makinde.