The Bayelsa State Government has issued a stern warning to herdsmen to abide by the existing anti-grazing law in the state or risk being arrested and prosecuted.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the warning at a meeting with the Chairman and members of the State Traditional Rulers Council in Government House, Yenagoa, on Thursday.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo said the government had provided the enabling environment including a designated grazing site at the BayelsaPalm and therefore would not tolerate any criminal act on the part of herdsmen.
Responding to the concerns raised by the council on the influx of herdsmen into the state, he said the government was aware and had put in place all necessary machinery to enforce the state anti-grazing law.
The Deputy Governor maintained that the government “is taking proactive measures to avoid any situation that is capable of causing violence and bloody clashes, as witnessed elsewhere in the country.”
On the proposed conference for traditional rulers in the state, Senator Ewhrudjakpo disclosed that a formal proposal for the conference had already been sent to Senator Douye Diri, which would be approved as soon as the governor returned from his overseas trip.
He also assured the royal fathers of government’s readiness to convene a meeting involving the Ijaw National Congress, Ijaw Youth Council and other stakeholders to address the alleged collection of illegal fees from contractors and companies by IYC officials.
Commenting on a suggestion made by the Okpo of Okpoma, His Royal Majesty, King Ebitimi Banigo, he said government would scale up its security efforts at the state international border communities to secure lives and property as well as properly harness its marine resources.
On the rampant issue of groups unilaterally declaring themselves as autonomous communities, the Deputy Governor warned the groups and individuals to desist from such actions that challenge the authority and powers of the Governor.
In the area of welfare and other requests by the royal fathers, Senator Ewhrudjakpo said government appreciates their continued support and would therefore do everything within its reach to tackle their needs within the limits of available resources.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM King Alfred Diete-Spiff, explained that the unscheduled meeting with the Deputy Governor had been necessitated by a lot of issues bordering on security.
He said the traditional rulers were concerned about the rising wave of sea piracy, the unprecedented influx of Fulani herdsmen into the state, and dusturbing reports about harassment of contractors at project sites.
The council also expressed concern over the issue of some traditional rulers parading themselves as kings, and pleaded with government to make a policy pronouncement on the issue.
Also speaking at the meeting, King Banigo pointed out that Bayelsa has the longest coastline in Nigeria, noting, however, that the state had not tapped the huge wealth lying on its coastline.
He, therefore, appealed to government to evolve a policy that would enable the state to harness its untapped natural resources of the coastline to generate more revenue for the state.
No fewer than 17 members of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, including its Vice Chairman, King Malla Sasime, were present at the meeting.