Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, has called for strict enforcement of the ban on night grazing and carrying of firearms by the South West Council of Fulani.
A release on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Comrade Jare Ajayi, stated that the ban placed on herders by the Southwest Fulani Council on night grazing, carrying firearms and herding by under-aged children is a welcome development that should be enforced to the letter.
It will be recalled that the chairman of the Council of Fulani Chiefs in the Southwest, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, at a press conference in Lagos early this week, outlined various measures the council considered as necessary to curb insecurity in the southwest and strengthen peaceful co-existence between herders and host communities in Yorubaland.
At the meeting were Fulani chiefs from all the southwest states including Kwara State.
“The Council affirms an absolute ban on night grazing, underage grazing, and herders carrying firearms or other dangerous weapons unrelated to the profession.” He asserted that this decision was taken as it’ll help to “restore sanity and peace in the sector.”
Ajayi expressed hope that with the position by the Fulanis, the anti-open grazing laws made by various states particularly in the Southwest, will now be effectively implemented.
“Among the states that have enacted such laws were: Lagos, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, Rivers, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi including Bayelsa.
“Records have it that various efforts made by governments in some of these states to enforce the laws on anti-open grazing have been thwarted by Fulani herders with the backing of some people in the corridors of power especially at the national level.
“With the realisation by the Fulani leadership of the dangers inherent in open grazing, their people would be made to co-operate with the governments to allow anti-open grazing law to be enforced and ensure peaceful co-habitation with their host communities.
“It’s also expected that the law that hadn’t been allowed to fly in the National Assembly would now see the light of the day.
“Recall that on June 5, 2024, a bill to regulate cattle rearing and ranching in Nigeria passed the second reading in the Senate. The bill was sponsored by Senator Titus Tartenger Zam, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Benue North-West Senatorial District. The bill sets out to, among others, ban open grazing and prescribes ranching as the only way for those who want to engage in cattle rearing.
According to Ajayi, the position of Senator Zam and those who supported him in the law chamber as well as the new position by Council of Fulani Chiefs in the Southwest represented “what Afenifere has always advocated since farmer/herders’ clashes became a recurring feature in Nigeria.
“Apart from the fact that open grazing is anachronistic, animals reared in a ranch are usually healthier, safer and more productive thus making the business more profitable without the risks inherent in open grazing”.
He implored the National Assembly to pass the said bill into law promptly and called on states with anti-open grazing laws to start enforcing them. He went further to call on those who are interested in livestock farming to create enclosures (ranches) for their animals “just as those who are into poultry business and others do”.
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