BusinessLaw & JusticeNewsOpen Grazing Ban: Miyetti-Allah Seeks For More Time In Enugu

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Despite the widely acknowledged stance of southern governors on open grazing of cattle in the region and a five days’ notice of a public hearing on the bill, the Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria, GAFDAN, has posited that 30 days be given them for the group to come up with a position.

Presenting their position before the joint committees on Agriculture, Youth and Security matters and Judiciary, Public Petitions, Ethics and Privileges at the public hearing on Tuesday, Abubakar Gidado, Chairman Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria South East requested more time to enable them to brief the elders and members of GAFDAN.

The paper presented and co-signed by Musa Abdullahi (Zonal Chairman) and Danjuman Saidu (Enugu State Chairman) reads, “Your honorable chairman, we are requesting that let thirty days (30 days) be given to us so that the elders and members of Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) are briefed about this development.”

The group further stated the reason for the request for more time as trust deficiency; “it is very important for our members and elders to be aware of this development in order to avoid some doubts or misconceptions that the government of Enugu State has given us a huge amount of money and we fail to communicate or inform them about the new development.”

Their position was the only dissenting voice in the Hallowed Chambers filled with hundreds of persons who came to declare their unwavering support of the bill which many expressed as long overdue.

Speaking at the public hearing, a representative of Town Union of Enugu state, Barr Paully Eze lauds the bill and affirms the town unions’ support of the bill;

“The bill for a law to prohibit open grazing, regulate cattle ranching and for connected purposes will curb the menaces of killer herdsmen irrespective of where they come from,” Eze said.

Traditional rulers, Youths, farmers, and concerned persons present all lauded the all-important bill which they unanimously acclaimed will curb incessant rape of women in farms, destruction of farms which leads to poor harvest, discouragement, high cost of food, preservation of the ecosystem, and more.

Mattew Idu, Commissioner for Agriculture also expressed joy and supports the bill pointing out that the farmers/herdsmen crisis is much in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area.

He further said, “The cries of farmers during harvest time troubles me; every farmer expects bumper harvest at the end of the year after much work but the herdsmen have made this impracticable.

“Farmers in Enugu are happy and we thank the Southern Governors and Enugu State House of Assembly for the move for this bill,” Idu said.

In the opening remark, the co-chairman of the joint committee, Okwu Chinedu explained that the bill is not targeted at any group but meant to create a peaceful co-existence of all for good.

Recall that in May 2021, anti-open grazing is one of the many resolutions arrived at the Southern Governors’ meeting held at Asaba, Delta State; the Chief Security Officers of the 17 states in the region unanimously resolved to ban open grazing which has been the source of constant clash between Fulani herders and farmers who not only suffer untold economic losses but their lives and properties.

In a similar meeting held in Lagos on July 5, 2021, the group urged all states in the region to ensure that the legislation against open grazing of cattle is put in place on or before 1st September 2021.

Only five states have complied with the directive-Bayelsa, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, and Abia; Bayelsa state took the lead and enacted the law in March.

In Nigeria, the need for an open grazing bill has received wide publicity and one would have thought that parties involved should have gone back to the drawing board to strategize on ways to live amicably and get things right;

The GAFDAN asking for a time extension is seen as stalling by residents of the state who cannot wait for the governor to assent to the bill as law.

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