The Nation Newspaper

Tag: anti-grazing law

  • Miyetti Allah sues Benue for Anti-Grazing Law

    •Governor studying labour’s ultimatum 

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday said the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association had sued the state to protest the planned implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law enacted by the government as a panacea to herders/farmers clashes.

    Ortom, in an interview with reporters at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, said he was not perturbed by the cattle breeders’ decision to frustrate his peace efforts. He maintained that the state will match the group in court.

    The governor said he was waiting for the courts to declare the law unlawful, saying he believes in the rule of law and would never resort to violence in addressing security challenges.

    According to him, enacting the law was part of his constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property, including those of herdsmen. He noted that the bill seeks to establish ranches, not just for cattle, but all livestock.

    On the ultimatum issued by labour unions, asking him to clear backlog of salaries or risk industrial action, Governor Ortom said he was studying the letter, and would meet with organised labour. According to him, labour had been understanding with his administration in the last two years.

    He, however, noted that the accumulated salary arrears, pensions and gratuities, were due to the high wage bill he inherited from his predecessor compounded by the shortfall in federal allocation to states.

    According to him, his administration inherited N69 billion in salaries and a monthly wage bill of about N8.2 billion, which rose to N8.5 billion with the new minimum wage for primary school teachers.

    On labour’s suggestion that he should borrow to offset the arrears, Ortom said there’s a limit to borrowing, maintaining that the state cannot borrow more than it could accommodate.

  • Fulani group kicks as Ortom bans open grazing

    Fulani group kicks as Ortom bans open grazing

    …Tells Ortom to halt anti-grazing law

     

    A group, Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) has asked the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom to halt the anti-grazing law.

    GAFDAN while describing the law as harsh and capable of causing breakdown of law and order requested that the law be suspended until alternative to open grazing is provided by the government.

    The Governor on Monday signed into law the bill tagged: ‘Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017’.

    The law provides a five-year jail term and the possibility of an additional N1million as fine for any violator.

    The reaction of the group is contained in a statement in Abuja Wednesday by its Secretary General, Alhaji Sale Bayari.

    The statement reads: “We are calling on Governor of Benue state, Mr. Samuel Ortom to immediately halt the enforcement of Benue State Anti-Grazing law called Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017, passed into Law on Thursday 4th May, 2017 by the Benue State House of Assembly and signed into law by the governor on Monday, 21st May, 2017.

    “This call has become necessary in view of the fact that our members, the herdsmen have not been provided with any alternative grazing spaces in the state before being asked to comply with this law.

    “The law provides for the provision or establishment of cattle ranches, but the law did not provide any clue as to how the herdsmen could access such ranches nor were they told how they could acquire these ranches for themselves and whether they could afford to do so.”

    It further read: “We want to advise the Governor and people (farmer) of Benue state not to use the enactment of such repressive and vindictive law to harass our members.

    “We appeal to the farmers to distance themselves from taking law into their hands against the herdsmen as this will lead to a serious breakdown of law and order.

    “We call on the government and people of Benue State to put this law on hold until an alternative to the open grazing is found or provided by the government.

    “It is our view and position that this law is too harsh, reprehensive, repressive and discriminatory by providing for a 5-year jail term and the possibility of an additional N1million as fine.

    “This law, in our opinion is a recipe for chaos if not looked into with a view to putting it on hold or to repeal if there is no alternative provided by the government for the herdsmen in the mean time before its enforcement by providing ranches for the herdsmen.”

    The group also urged the federal government to intervene. “We wish to call on the Federal Government to intervene immediately and directly through the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe who is coincidentally from Benue state, to halt this ugly situation.

    “It is an irony that it is the state where the Minister of Agriculture, a minister that the herdsmen should run to that would be the first state in the entire north to enact such hate law.”

    GAFDAN however called on its members in Benue state and sympathisers all over the country and diaspora to be patient, tolerant and obedient to all laws and security agencies and not take the laws into their hands no matter the unconstitutional provocation.

    It noted that it would continue to seek constitutional and peaceful means of ensuring that the law is made null and void through whatever means legal and lawful.

     

  • Herdsman remanded for violating anti-grazing law

    A 20-year-old herdsman, Abdullahi  Abubakar, has been remanded in prison custody by an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court for destroying a farmland .

    Police prosecutor Caleb Leranmo told the court the accused and others at large committed the offence on January 4 about 5pm at  Itapaji-Iyemero in Ikole Local Government.

    He alleged that the accused conspired to commit an offence, to wit malicious damage, punishable under Section 7 of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing, Ekiti State Law (2016).

    The prosecutor said the accused, on that date, with others at large, did unlawfully rear cows into  a yam farm belonging to Emmanuel Augustine and destroyed produce valued at N1.2 million.

    The accused pleaded not guilty, as his counsel, Miss Oluwasayo Ayomide , applied for his bail but was opposed by the police prosecutor.

    Chief Magistrate, Adesoji  Adegboye, refused to grant bail and consequently remanded the accused in prison custody.

    He adjourned the case till January 13 for further hearing.