Ajimobi to Buhari, NASS: No free land for grazing zones in Oyo

Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, on Tuesday, told President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to forget the plan of creating grazing zones across the country, saying even if other governors agree to the plot to take states’ land, such will not happen in Oyo State. Ajimobi stated this during the launch of ‘AgricOyo,’ Oyo State agriculture initiative, held at Paago, via Iseyin, in Oke Ogun zone of the state. He said: “This is the time to call a spade a spade.

Those clamouring for creation of grazing zones across the country should have a rethink. It is against the Land Use Act; it is against the law of natural justice to seize people’s land to cater for someone’s cattle”. To Ajimobi, the proposed creation of grazing zones across the country is ill-advised, warning that the proposal is against the spirit of the Land Use Act and the overriding public interest. At the event were investors, outgrowers, beneficiaries, institutional partners, out-takers, traditional rulers and top officials of the state.

The governor said: “Grazing zones could be created for those who are traditional cattle rearers in their areas. I’m not against that. But, you cannot come here and tell me you want to occupy our land for grazing zones. The land exists in our respective states and, as such, the rightful owners should decide what to do with them. “Anybody outside this zone willing to rear cattle here will need to approach the state to buy the land and we offer what is available with rules. There is no free land for grazing zones. We need to take this firm position.

It won’t happen in Oyo State”. Speaking on the anxiety of farmers over security of their lives and their farmlands in the face of the menace of the marauding herdsmen, the governor charged the farmers and the entire rural dwellers to be more vigilant and report suspicious activities of offending cattle rearers to security agencies around them. He warned that it was illegal for herdsmen to destroy farmlands and attack farmers in the guise of feeding their animals.