Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has ordered all herdsmen in the state to carry identity cards as means of identification in case of crime.
Umahi gave the directive to the leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Affiliation (MACBAN) after a meeting in Government House, Abakaliki on Tuesday.
The Deputy Governor,Dr Kelechi Igwe, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the meeting said the state government was worried by the reported cases of killing of MACBAN members, destruction of farm lands and incidences of rape in the state by suspected Miyetti Allah members.
In this regard, the deputy governor has asked the local government areas of the state to liase with leaders of the cattle breeders affiliation for issuance of Identity cards to all herders working in their LGAs.
In addition, communites are empowered to arrest any underaged cattle rearer grazing around their communites and hand them over to the police for prosecution while the chief herder would also be made to face the law
Under the new directive,offences liable for prosecution include rape, bearing of arms around the communites, attack of farmlands and destruction.
