Afenifere hails ban on night, underage grazing, carrying

By Oluseye Ojo

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has hailed the comprehensive ban on night and underage grazing as well as carrying of firearms by herders in the South West.

Chairman, Council of Fulani Chiefs in the South West, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, had announced the ban at a press conference in Lagos early this week.

He also outlined various measures the council considered as necessary to curb insecurity in the South West and strengthen peaceful co-existence between herders and host communities in Yorubaland.

Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in a statement, described the ban as a welcome development, which demands immediate enforcement.

Ajayi was optimistic that the newfound resolve from Fulani leaders would facilitate the successful implementation of anti-open grazing laws already enacted in various states within the South West, including Lagos and Oyo.

He drew attention to the challenges being faced in enforcing the laws, often undermined by vested interests at higher levels of government.

Bambado had at the press conference said: “The Council affirms an absolute ban on night grazing and underage herding. We aim to restore sanity and peace in the sector.”

He recollected that Fulani and their Yoruba hosts had coexisted peacefully for centuries, a legacy they are committed to restoring.

Bambado condemned acts of banditry and destruction linked to the Fulani community, urging security agencies to eradicate criminal elements that threaten stability.

Meanwhile, a bill aimed at regulating cattle rearing and banning open grazing passed its second reading in the Senate earlier this year. It is being sponsored by Senator Titus Tartenger Zam of the All Progressives Congress, representing Benue North-West senatorial district.

The bill seeks to address rising conflicts between herders and farmers, increasingly described as war-like.

Afenifere reflected on the transformative potential of the legislation, stating that ranching, as proposed in the bill, offers a more productive and safer alternative to traditional methods of livestock management.

Ajayi asserted that 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 South West 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.”

It 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 also enjoined 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.”