FG should jettison proposed cattle colonies – Senator Omo-Agege
An All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Delta Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has advised the federal government to jettison the proposed establishment of cattle colonies across the nation, saying he would not allowed such in his constituency. In a statement made available to journalists in Warri, Senator […]
An All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Delta Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has advised the federal government to jettison the proposed establishment of cattle colonies across the nation, saying he would not allowed such in his constituency.
In a statement made available to journalists in Warri, Senator Omo-Agege, said majority of the Urhobo people that constitute Delta Central Senatorial District are strongly opposed to cattle colonies in their territory.
The APC Senator argued that the establishment of cattle colonies will not curb the incessant herdsmen and farmers crises, but would rather exacerbate it and further divide the country along ethnic and religious lines, given the widespread opposition in certain parts of the country.
He revealed that the district’s position on the matter was arrived at after series of consultations with his constituents, following the announcement by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, that cattle colonies will be established across the country for herdsmen to curb the increasing cases of clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the country,
"No one wants it and no community is ready to give up its land to those who have killed their people and raped their wives under any circumstances. So count us out of any cattle colony arrangement.", Senator Omo-Agege stated.
He blamed the increased violent herdsmen/farmers clashes on the decade long failure by security agencies to enforce the country’s laws, adding that only strict enforcement of the fire arms law that will ensure the safety of communities and peaceful co-existence of the herdsmen and farmers in any part of the country.
"This made it possible for herdsmen to openly carry lethal weapons which they now use to unleash terror on our fellow citizens. This is a failure of law enforcement and the blame lies squarely on the Nigerian Police and other security agencies whose responsibility it is to enforce the Fire Arms Act and not the fault of President Muhammadu Buhari", he said.
The lawmaker urged the Police and other security agencies to act now and disarm herdsmen, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of heinous crimes and establish law and order in the affected communities.
It will be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party-led (PDP) government in Delta state had officially said last week that it won’t spare even a plot of land in the state for cattle breeding colony, saying it is a private business.