The Delta State Government has directed that any cattle rearer who allowed his cattle to destroy farm crops or kill or cause bodily harm to farmers in the state would be arrested and expelled.
The Secretary to the State Government, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay who briefed journalists at the end of the State Security Council meeting held in Oghara and presided over by His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan said that the decision was reached because of the increasing act of criminal activities of cattle rearers in the state adding that Hausa-Fulani leaders in any community where such acts were carried out would be made to fish out the erring cattle rearer.
His words “The meeting has decided to arrest and expel any Hausa-Fulani cattle rearer that allows his cattle to destroy farm crops or kill or cause harm to any farmer in this state. The Hausa-Fulani Leaders in such communities will be made to fish out the culprits.”
Comrade Macaulay reiterated that the amnesty period of the Federal Government was over and there was no third phase stating that the state cannot do anything about it.
He explained that the state only complimented the Federal Government initiative stressing that any youth agitating for a third phase of the amnesty programme should desist forthwith or be treated like a criminal.
According to him, “The state government has decided in this meeting to remind youths in the state agitating for a third phase of the Federal Government amnesty programme, that the programme is over and anyone caught disrupt the peace in the name of amnesty will be treated like a criminal.”
He noted that the government also reiterated its decision to demolish any house and confiscate any land where kidnap victims were kept in the state.
Comrade Macaulay while explaining that the state government has banned all youths activities in Oghara kingdom especially in Ogharaefe and Oghareki because of threat to paece by the youth bodies warned companies operating in the area not to have dealing with youth groups in the community.
Comrade Macaulay stated that government decided to shift the State Security Meeting to Oghara because the community has of late become a flash point for criminal activites explaining that government can hold the meeting in any community with security challenges.