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From Linus Oota, Lafia
The Nasarawa State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has kicked against the Bill before the Nasarawa State House of Assembly seeking to ban grazing activities in cities and schools, describing the move as a calculated attempt to dislodge Fulani from the state.
Chairman of the association in the state, Muhammed Husseni,
told Sunday Sun in an exclusive interview in Lafia that Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura had done a lot to ensure peace among Herders and Farmers in the state, assuring that he would not assent to a Bill that would dust up fresh crisis.
He said he hinged his opposition on the fact that there was no public hearing which could have given them the opportunity to make their inputs into the bill. His words: “The sponsor of the bill, Hon Daniel Ogazi, did not mean well for the people of the state. He is not interested in peace in Nasarawa State. What did he do when all the grazing routes were blocked? You cannot stop Fulani from grazing without providing alternatives. Already the seven grazing reserves in the state have been occupied by farmers. Governor Almakura cannot sign such a wicked Bill into law.”
If Nasarawa follows suit, we have nowhere to go and that will have adverse effect on farmers. What we want in Nasarawa State is peace and not crisis and the bill will cause crisis,” Husseni added.
The Assembly had recently passed into second reading a law to control, prohibit and restrict grazing of animals in urban cities, schools and other designated areas to curtail crisis between herders and farmers.
