Governor Bago addressing the stakeholders at the event.
By Mohammed Usman
Niger State Governor Muhammad Umaru Bago has vowed not to negotiate with armed bandits who have taken over eight out of 25 councils of the state.
Bago said that he would rather seek the intervention of the President Bola Tinubu through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) instead of negotiating with the criminals who are ravaging the state, particularly in Niger-East and Niger-North (zone B and C respectively).
Governor Bago gave the assurance the at stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the “Implementation of the State Trade, Animal Movement Security and Veterinary Inspection Permit,” which took place in Minna, the state capital, at the weekend.
He lamented that the criminals, whom he said, have no value for human lives and operating under alien ideology, have caused a lot of destruction in the state.
He said that facts abound to show that negotiations with the armed bandits by some states rather than ensuring peace, lead to increase in cases of cattle rustling and related vices.
On reports that some people bring into the markets to sell already slaughtered meat from the bushes, Governor Bago assured that necessary measures would be put in place through relevant authorities to stop the sell of meats from unknown places in the markets.
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The governor also expressed preparedness of his administration to regulate livestock entering the state to ensure that the animsls were duly vaccinated.
The governor, who directed that no farmer should farm on the right of way of herders, which is side by side with the highways, also warn them against allowing their flocks to graze on people’s farms, stressing, “Anyone found going against his words would be dealt with accordingly.”
The governor reminded the citizens that the Animal Disease Control Act of 2022, Sections 18 and 19, empowered the state government through the Department of Animal Health and Veterinary Services to issue permits for the transportation of animals, poultry, and animal products, a practical tool aimed at safeguarding public health and improve market systems.
He further explained that the introduction of the Trade, Animal Movements, Security and Veterinary Inspection Permit system was not intended to frustrate those in the livestock industry but to secure trade corridors, track animal health status, and as well strengthen veterinary compliance across markets, farms, and borders.
The Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Sanda Rabe, had earlier described the consultative meeting as not just for developmental purpose but will ensure safety of animal based protein products in the markets.
Apart from food security, Rabe said regulating animal products will provide room for improvements of the livestock industry though lamenting lack of examinations for animals for any possible diseases before being slaughtered.
The President, National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors, and Marketers of Nigeria, Alhaji Ilyasu Bulama, commended the efforts by Governor Bago to develop but expressed concerns over the growing menace of cattle rustling which is affecting their businesses.
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