The Nation Newspaper

Tag: anti-grazing

  • Defence minister and anti-grazing bill

    Sir: Many Nigerians were greatly disturbed by the call by Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (retd.) that anti-grazing bills, as operational in some states in the country, should be repealed. The minister was reported to have called for the suspension of the implementation of anti-grazing laws in some states while negotiating safe routes for herders. For the minister, suspension of the law ‘would reduce tension’ and restore peace in the country.

    The anti-open grazing law seeks to outlaw open rearing and grazing of livestock and provides for the establishment of ranches and livestock administration, wherever the law is operational. It is currently operational in Benue, Ekiti and Taraba states. In Ekiti, the law prohibits open grazing between the hours of 6pm and 7am. In Benue, it enforces an absolute ban on open-grazing throughout the state and in Taraba, there is a proviso that it would be implemented gradually after massive enlightenment and awareness campaigns across the state. The legislation further prohibits movement of livestock and requires livestock owners to ranch them by criminalising free grazing and movement of livestock by foot. In short, the law seeks to end the age-long practice of nomadism, particularly, among the Fulani herders, whose activities in recent times have led to violent clashes with farmers in many states across the country.

    Herders/farmers’ clashes have become a recurring decimal and national security problem in various parts of the country owing to rising population and less available land. Some states bear more of the burden of hostility because of their very rich vegetation and pasture, which make the land appealing to both farmers and herdsmen. Benue is one of such states. No doubt, there is ample justification for the law to stay, no matter what anybody may feel. The herdsmen base their resiostance to the implementation of the law on the grounds that it violates their rights to freedom of movement within the country and that the restriction it is at variance with international protocols that established grazing routes across the Sub-Saharan Africa. They also complain that there is not enough time for them to comply with the law, calling for more time to comprehend the law and abide by its provisions.

    The truth is that, ranching, rather than continuing with open grazing is the enduring solution, as it allows for a more coordinated transition from nomadism to ranching.

    The truth of course is that the Federal Government lacks the power to suspend or abrogate the anti-grazing law duly enacted by state governments. We should be more concerned with how to restore peace in our nation beyond any tribal, ethnic and parochial interest of some people. The defence minister’s call would in the circumstance, appear unhelpful.

     

    • Adewale Kupoluyi, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

  • Al-Makura rejects anti-grazing law

    Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura has said his government will not enact the anti-grazing law, but will work towards ensuring peace between herdsmen and farmers.

    Al-Makura spoke when he received participants of Defence Intelligence College in Lafia. The team was in the state as part of its national tour on “Anti-Grazing Laws as Panacea for Incessant Herdsmen Attacks in Nigeria”.

    The governor, who lamented the dimension farmers/herdsmen clashes have assumed, said his administration had evolved measures to check the situation.

    He blamed the clashes on the absence of grazing routes and activities of bandits and rustlers.

    According to the governor, the home grown Community-based Conflict Resolution mechanism, which allows communities to settle problems without interference from outsiders or middle-men, has proved effective since 2013 when it was established.

    He said the Nasarawa State Youth Empowerment Scheme (NAYES), with over 5,000 youths, had reduced problems associated with youth restiveness.

    The team leader and Commandant of the Defence Intelligence College, Air Commodore E. O Jaiyeola, said the team was in the state to get information on problems associated with anti-grazing law, and see how to arrive at long term solutions.

    He explained that they were on a mission to look into issues of ranching, grazing routes and their effect, saying by speaking to people, they would understand the issues.

  • IG cautions on anti-grazing laws

    IG cautions on anti-grazing laws

    Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris yesterday advised governors to prioritise the establishment of cattle ranches before enacting anti-grazing laws, to avert conflict between farmers and herdsmen.

    The IGP gave the advice at the Northern States Stakeholders Security Summit, with the theme, ‘National Building: Security Challenges and the Need for Inclusive Approach’, held in Kaduna.

    “It ¡s my humble suggestion that to reduce clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria, State Governments should endeavour to establish grazing ranches in their various states before enacting laws to prohibit open rearing and grazing.

    “It ¡s when grazing ranches are established that herders can be arrested and punished for rearing and grazing on the open places.

    “Doing so, I am of the opinion that it will make the law acceptable by all the parties concerned and other critical stakeholders in that all important sector.

    “It will do us good if we avoid the hasty formulation and implementation of such laws across the country in the interest of peace and unity.’’

    According to the IGP, the crisis in Benue would have been mitigated, if the state had first established grazing ranches before prohibiting open grazing.

    Idris disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had mandated the police to adopt “strategies effective enough to end the recurring Herders/Farmers clashes ¡n Nigeria.’’

  • Benue Muslims support anti-grazing law

    The Muslim community in Benue State has supported the anti-open grazing law.

    Leader of the community, Sheik Ibrahim Aliyu, stated this at the Benue Peoples’ House during iftar with Governor Samuel Ortom.

    According to him, those criticizing the law were ignorant of its content and intent, saying it is not against any particular ethnic group, faith or sect.

    Sheik Aliyu said Muslims in the state, who know the extent of carnage and destruction done by herdsmen to life and property, stand behind Ortom. He noted that the law is to safeguard life and property.

    He added that the Muslim Umma in the state will soon undertake a tour of the far North to explain the content and intent of the law to fellow Muslims who are being misled to attack the governor.

    Ortom,who was represented by his deputy, Benson Abounu, thanked the Muslim community for standing for truth and supporting the government’s honest attempt to tackle the incessant farmers/herders clash.

    He said enacting the law is the best thing to do, adding that despite threats and criticisms from certain quarters, there is no going back on its implementation.

  • Benue faults critics of anti-grazing law

    The Benue State government has faulted critics of its Open Grazing Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches Law, saying they do not mean well.

    It said the law was validly passed by the House of Assembly to tackle the menace of Fulani herdsmen attacks.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation Lawrence Onoja was reacting to an alleged threat by a Fulani socio-cultural group, the Miyetti Allah, to mobilise its members to resist the law.

    He faulted the association’s National Secretary Saleh Alhassan for claiming the Fulani herdsmen were the original inhabitants of the Benue Valley, and that the lingering crisis with the inhabitants, particularly the Tiv, was over natural resources.

    Onoja disagreed with the Cattle Breeders’ Association President, Abdullahi Bello, who allegedly described the Anti-Grazing Law as “wicked, obnoxious and repressive”.”

    Bello had allegedly vowed to “mobilise herdsmen in the country to resist the law as it was a deliberate attempt to enslave their members.”

    Onoja said the statements were inciting, and amounted to open declaration of war on Benue citizens, and was capable of causing a breach of public peace and order.

    He said: “Benue State and its people are under threat. We request the Federal Government to call Miyetti Allah and its leaders to order before they plunge the country into a conflagration which will be difficult to contain.”

    According to him, contrary to Miyetti Allah’s claim, the law does not restrict free movement, nor does it prohibit grazing of cattle, but only seeks to restrict the rearing and grazing of cattle to confined ranches in line with international best practices for animal husbandry, as well as legal provisions prohibiting animals’ loitering.

    “We challenge Miyetti Allah to bring any better or superior solution that would restore lasting peace between farmers and herdsmen to the table, rather than issue threats that will compound the problem,” he added.

    The commissioner said the anti-grazing law was enacted to prevent destruction of farms, ponds, settlements and property, by open rearing and grazing of livestock, as well as incessant clashes between nomadic livestock herders and farmers.

    Benue, he lamented, had suffered enormous human and material loses to incessant herdsmen’s attacks over the years.

    “A 2014 report said the destruction caused by invading Fulani herdsmen across 10 Benue councils exceeded N95 billion in that year alone. Thereafter, the attacks covered more council areas and were more deadly and destructive,” he said.

    He described the law as “fair, just, non-discriminatory and applicable to everyone in the state”.

    “Apart from the unreasonable justification of the herdsmen’s attacks on Benue people, the Miyetti Allah, through their leaders, attempted to twist history to conform with their whims and caprices.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, these leaders are invited to answer these posers: When did the Fulani arrive in Benue State? Do they remember that the Fulani engaged the Tiv people when they waged a Jihad against the indigenous ethnic groups in the Benue Valley?

    “Why would the so called original inhabitants (owners) expect to be welcomed by the visitors since Saleh asserts that what they will not accept is for people not to welcome them?

    “Are herdsmen/farmers crisis all over Nigeria based on the fight for natural resources and right of original inhabitants? For the avoidance of doubt, the Benue people state are the original indigenes of their ancestral land, and are concerned with preventing stock breeders from violently disrupting their economic and social life through unregulated activities,” Onoja added.