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General News of Sunday, 18 July 2021

Source: thenationonlineng.net

‘FG must buy-in to S/West ban on open-grazing for it to succeed’

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THE Federal Government needs to buy into the Southwest governors’ ban on open grazing for it to succeed.

This was one of the notable submissions at a recent stakeholders’ dialogue on the ongoing insecurity across the zone organised by CLEEN Foundation.

The zoom meeting titled: “Stakeholders Dialogue on Emerging Security Challenges in Southwest Nigeria: Convening a Pathway to Solution”, had stakeholders/contributors from all states of the region, exploring the issues and espousing solutions.

The meeting moderated by Anna White-Agbo and Blessing Abiri of the Lagos office, had speakers like Sunday Oyewole (Ekiti), Lucas Boyejo (Lagos), Dr. Abiola Akiyode, (Lagos), Rita Ilevbare (Ekiti), Ponle Sodenide (Ogun) and Bolanle idowu (Osun).

Notably, all speakers agreed that there are palpable security challenges bedevilling the region, especially, farmers-herders conflicts and banditry, with the exception of Lagos; drug abuse, cultism, activities of land-grabbers, especially in Ogun State, because of its proximity to Lagos; communal clashes, religious crisis (recently in Osun) and recently, secessionist activities.

Dr Abiola Akiyode said urban violence/youth restiveness is fast becoming a norm, alongside cultism, kidnapping and drug abuse; even as she cited compromise by state actors as a major letdown.

She fingered poverty in the land as a major factor and recommended the need to dismantle the superstructure and take on poverty headlong, as possible ways out.

It was Dr Lucas Koyejo who cited the Federal Government’s lack of support for the ban on open grazing by Southern governors as a major clog, saying its body language of disapproval is a major cause for concern.