The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the bill banning free cattle grazing in the state.
The bill prescribes six months imprisonment without an option of fine for offenders. It also bans movement of cattle in the state after 6pm.
According to the new bill tagged,” Prohibition of Cattle and Other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti, 2016″, anyone found violating the bill upon conviction shall be sentenced to six months in prison without option of fine.
The passage of the bill followed the submission of report of Joint Committees on Agriculture and Environment by its Chairman, Mr Ayodele Fajemilehin, to committee of the whole House.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Kola Oluwawole, who presided over Tuesday plenary said the bill would now reduce the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the state.
Oluwawole said “if the bill is eventually accented to by the governor, it will now become crime for any cattle, sheep and goat to graze on undesignated land for ranches in Ekiti.”