The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State to show statesmanship over the recent alleged herdsmen attack on a community in his state.
The Secretary General of the Association, Baba Ngelzerma, made the appeal on Wednesday while reacting to the Governor’s ban on public grazing and cattle rearing in Ekiti State in southwest Nigeria.
“The statement that the Governor issued, I think he has to exercise some restraint (and) he has to show statesmanship on solving this issue,” he said.
Mr Ngelzerma said on Sunrise Daily that the association was making efforts to meet with Governor Fayose, adding that the association was in contact with its branch in Ekiti State over the matter.
He admitted that there were bad ones amongst them but urged the public not to put blames on the herdsmen until an investigation was conducted.
“Like every other community in Nigeria, we have our own criminals too but then, you cannot jump to conclusion and just apportion blame on a particular group even before an investigation is conducted,” he said.
One-sided Dissemination of Information
The Miyetti Allah Secretary General disclosed that the association had convened a meeting last week, to look at ways of solving the lingering crisis between the herdsmen and various communities across Nigeria.
Ngelzerma stressed that the media had a major role to play in solving the crises while he commended Channels Television for giving them the opportunity to tell their own side of the story.
He condemned the one-sided dissemination of information to the public, urging other broadcast organisations to emulate Channels Television and balance their stories.
