As many states continue to enact and implement anti-open grazing laws barring Fulani herdsmen from moving with their cattle around the country, Kano State Governor, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, at the weekend, urged all herdsmen resident outside Kano to relocate to the state. Ganduje said: “All Fulani herdsmen resident in other parts of the country, especially Benue and Taraba states, should relocate to Kano State since the state has vast grazing land to accommodate them and their cattle.”
Ganduje, who stated this while inspecting vaccination of over one million cattle and other small animals’ free-of-charge at Kadawa Artificial Insemination Centre in Garum Malam Local Government Area of the state as part of activities to mark the 2017/2018 livestock vaccination programme, condemned the recent killings emanating from clashes between farmers and herdsmen, describing it as unacceptable. Speaking further during the occasion tagged; “Towards Conservation of Livestock Resource and Animal Protein for Citizens of Kano,” Governor Ganduje said the exercise was made to keep the animals healthy and improve the economy of the state.
According to him, the over one million cattle and small animals vaccinated for free will be free of animal diseases, adding that his administration was committed to the welfare and economic wellbeing of Fulani herdsmen. He further stated that as part of his government’s commitment to encourage herdsmen in the state, the state government had continued to provide facilities that will contain the herdsmen and their cattle so as to prevent them from travelling to other states in search of grazing land. According to him, Fulani herdsmen of Kano origin do not move out of Kano to other states, “because we have enough grazing land, ranches and traditional stock route. So, they don’t have any reason to move out of the state. We take care of them and we accord them the respect and dignity they deserve.”
