By Banji Ayoola
Ondo State Government on Wednesday insisted that all users of the forest resources in the state must be registered with it.
It stood its ground that grazing in the state’s forest reserves without permission would no longer be allowed, neither would anybody be permitted to legally operate in the state forest reserves without its approval.
Government spoke in a statement by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Adegboyega Adefarati, declaring: “Let me say it again and again that no activity (hunting, planting crops and animal rearing) can be done in Ondo State Forest Conservation without permission. The laws guiding Ondo State Forest are clear and concise on it.”
The statement titled: ‘Ondo State Government Forest Reserves Policies And Regulation’, said over 50,000 farmers have been registered to engage in various agricultural activities in state’s forest reserves, adding that no herder will be permitted to graze without going through the due registration.
It said: “Love it or leave it; farming is farming be it crop production or animal husbandry. If any Nigerian irrespective of his/her State of origin desires land for farming in Government Forest Reserves, he or she must apply to the Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture and pay the normal fee for the required hectares of land.
“It is illegal for herdsmen to encroach Ondo State Government Forest Reserves without permission and graze on the farms, many of which will be destroyed.”
It said: “We have registered over fifty (50,000) thousands of farmers who engage in different forms of agricultural activities in Ondo State Government Forest Reserves.”
It said the activities of the farmers are regulated to reduce criminality.
It stated that over 70% of the government reserves have been encroached by farmers as of 2017.
It added that farmers were made to register to farm at the reserves with stiff adherence to all regulations that protect animals and trees.
Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Wednesday described the state government stand as shocking, provocative and unhelpful.
In a statement by its Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, it said: “If there are criminal elements among the Fulani who live in the State, the Governor should take appropriate steps to identify them and deal with them.
“Similarly, the Fulani do not enjoy legal immunity in any part of Nigeria. The Fulani are subject to all laws and regulations and must respect the communities with which they live and interact.
“What is dangerous and unacceptable is to profile and demonise the Fulani and treat him outside the laws of the land like all other Nigerians.
“The quit order by the Governor of Ondo will worsen perceptions that the Fulani is unsafe and unwelcome in certain parts of Nigeria”.
The Forum urges the Fulani community in Ondo to stay put where they are and continue to be law-abiding, adding that: they should collaborate with all legitimate authorities to police their communities against criminal elements but they should resist moves to be labelled entirely as criminals.
It said: “We call on Governor Akeredolu to rescind his order on the Fulani or clarify his position in the event that he is misunderstood.
“He has a responsibility to protect the rights of all people in Ondo State, including the Fulanis and he will be well-advised to engage them towards improving security in the State instead of treating all of them as criminals without rights or protection under the constitution.”
