Bayelsa Governor denies selling land to Fulani herdsmen

The Governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson has denied selling grazing land to Fulani herdsmen in the state.

The Governor said this while speaking with ex-militants and Ijaw youths leaders from the Niger Delta region on Monday, February 20, 2017.

According to reports, the Governor had earlier allocated 1,200 hectares to herdsmen in the state to feed their cattle.

He said he took the decision to forestall any break down of law and order or clash between the herdsmen and farmers in the state.

Dickson said “We do not want to experience what is happening in other states.

“In no distant time, it will soon become a criminal offence for herdsmen to ply their trade in our villages and communities, as government has restricted their operation to the Bayelsa Palm."

He also said his government has been able to maintain peace, while showcasing the infrastructural projects his administration has embarked upon.

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According to Leadership, Dickson said “As you rightly observed, the state is more secured than how we met it five years ago and I am bold to tell you that your state has been adjudged as one of the best in terms of security.

“All of us, including you played major role in this regard and I want you to continue in this spirit. As I always maintain, Bayelsa is the Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation. Whether you are from Ondo or Akwa Ibom states, Bayelsa is your home.”

You will recall that a group of Ijaw women led by Ann-Kio Briggs, a rights activist in the Niger Delta, vowed to oppose the allocation of land to Fulani herdsmen.