The Katsina Emirate Council has debunked information circulating online that it has banned open grazing in the state.
The Magajin Garin Katsina, District Head of Katsina, Dr. Aminu Abdulmumin, who stated this in an interview with reporters, said at no point in time did the emirate issued any statement to that effect.
The reaction is coming on the heels of the news story in some online media that the Katsina Emirate Council had banned open grazing throughout the state.
Abdulmumin who spoke through the originator of the said statement, the Wakilin Kudu Katsina, the village head of Katsina, Abdu Iliyasu, explained that it is not banned on open grazing in Katsina entirely but only in Katsina Local Government Area and its environs.
He stressed that the ban which has been in force for the past 40 years is to safeguard graveyards from being destroyed by animals who go in to graze.
According to Ilyasu, the ban is enforced yearly especially during the rainy season to keep the graveyards sacred.
A visit to one of the graveyards showed some animals grazing while from afar, there were some youths hanging around.
Although the Katsina State Government has put machinery in motion to begin implementation of ranch development following the release of 6.25 billion Naira by the Federal Government to the state government.
Part of the plans is the implementation of the three-tier traditional security structures to give the traditional rulers power to checkmate the activities of herders with a view to curb the incessant banditry as well as farmers-herders clash.