The Central Zone of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), as parts of efforts to checkmate the activities of errant herdsmen in Bayelsa State, has inaugurated a surveillance and security committee to protect farmland, communities and indigenes of the state.

The surveillance and security committee comprises youth presidents and clan chairmen of communities across the local government areas of the state.

Inaugurating the committee yesterday at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, the Chairman of IYC Central Zone, Mr. Clever Inodu, lamented the nefarious activities of some herdsmen who flagrantly flout the state anti-open grazing law by brazenly carrying out open grazing.

He opined that there had been killings of their parents and indigenes on their farmlands hence the IYC had resolved to take charge of the communities and farmlands as youth leaders to forestall future occurrences.

According to him, “We are gathered here as Ijaw people, sons and daughters in Yenagoa to discuss issues that border on Ijaw people with regard to the incidents of invasion of our communities and territorial borders by some herdsmen.

“As you are aware, the Bayelsa State Government enacted the anti-open grazing law-the Livestock Management Committee precisely two years ago. The law prohibits open grazing in Bayelsa State, even as the state has designated areas for cattle rearing.

“So, the IYC Central Zone under my leadership has formally inaugurated the surveillance and security committee after having met and discussed with various youth presidents of communities and the clan chairmen.

“There have been killings of our parents and indigenes on their farmlands, and we have resolved that we have to take charge of our communities and farmlands as youth leaders of our zone and chapters of this territory,” he said.

Inodu said the enforcement team of the committee headed by him was solely being organised and managed by the IYC to mobilise and carry out surveillance across their communities, farmlands and give information back to the council’s leadership where necessary actions would be taken and legal information provided to the appropriate quarters for the needful to be done. (THISDAY)

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