The Ekiti State government on Thursday said it would arrest any herdsman caught with arms.
The Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, made this known at a peace meeting held with representatives of herders and farmers at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti.
The meeting followed recent attacks against farmers by suspected herdsmen.
Egbeyemi, according to a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his spokesman, Odunayo Ogunmola, said government would empower security agencies to arrest and prosecute herdsmen caught attacking residents and destroying farmlands.
He also said that the state government would not tolerate a repeat of the attack on Orin Farm Settlement in Ido/Osi Local Government Area last year in which a pregnant farmer was killed.
The deputy governor said government was duty bound to protect all law-abiding Nigerians, including settlers in the state who are engaged in legitimate businesses.
He warned herdsmen against grazing on farmlands, noting that this had led to massive loss for farmers.
Egbeyemi also told herdsmen to steer clear of government reserves. He said that security would be beefed up to arrest encroachers.
The deputy governor, however, cautioned farmers against resort to self-help, urging them to report any attack or destruction of their farms to the appropriate authorities.
