The Bayelsa government says, it will henceforth arrest
herdsmen, who graze with their cattle elsewhere, other than the designated
grazing site at the Bayelsa Palm area.
It will be recalled that Bayelsa Govt had in February
donated 1,200 hectares of grazing land to herdsmen for ranching purposes.
This is coming on the heels of the successful
apprehension and relocation of a group of herdsmen from the Ijaw National
Academy in Kaiama, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state to the
designated grazing site.
The warning was contained in a statement issued in
Yenagoa on Friday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters,
Chief Boma Spero-Jack,
Spero-Jack stated that the warning has become imperative,
because despite directives to this effect, a number of herdsmen have refused to
relocate to the grazing area.
He restated the Government’s position, stressing that,
the decision to create a grazing site was purely for security reasons to avoid
a possible breakdown of law and order.
.
He reassured the people of the state that, the government
would stop at nothing to protect the lives and properties of the citizens, as
well as protect the overall interest of the Ijaw Nation.
Spero-Jack, however, called for the cooperation of people
as the government was doing its utmost best to avert any likely breakdown of
law and order.
He urged all to be vigilant and not be deceived to
believing that, the leadership of the state was ceding valuable land of the
state to herdsmen.
He described such unfounded stories as the handiwork of
mischief makers, who are more interested in themselves and the political gains.
