Benue, delay the Anti-Open Grazing Law

Benue State’s Anti-Open Grazing Law is expected to come into force on November 1 and as the date approaches, there is rising tension between the state government and cattle herders represented by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State chapter. The law was passed by the state assembly and assented to […]

Benue State’s Anti-Open Grazing Law is expected to come into force on November 1 and as the date approaches, there is rising tension between the state government and cattle herders represented by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State chapter. The law was passed by the state assembly and assented to by Governor Samuel Ortom last May following a series of deadly clashes between farmers and herders. The worst incident was in Agatu Local Government Area where many lives were lost and thousands of people were displaced.

The Anti-Open Grazing Law seeks to prohibit open rearing and grazing of livestock and provides for the establishment of ranches and livestock administration in the state. Since the bill was signed into law, there have been exchanges between the state government and Miyetti Allah Association. While the group urged the state government to drop the idea of enforcing the law, the governor insisted that there was no going back on the law, which enjoys widespread support in the state.

With just a few days to the law’s commencement, the chairman of Miyetti Allah Alhaji Garus Gololo said its members would leave the state ahead of the November 1 deadline. He said they had no option than to leave the state “since the government made no provision to accommodate their cattle.” He added, “This law is confusing. They have said they are not chasing out the Fulani from the state but they have made no provision for our cattle, the cattle markets and even other cattle. They have told us to buy land for ranches but the question is, from who? The process of getting land from the government is tedious, yet they are insisting that we must buy land for ranches. When you buy land, you need the Certificate of Occupancy to qualify for ownership. How can we get all this within the time frame given?” 

Benue State Commissioner for Information Mr Lawrence Onoja Jnr however said enough time was given for land acquisition and building of ranches. He said the recent decision of the government to unbundle the procedure for land acquisition and reduce the cost of Certificate of Occupancy was to facilitate the process of land acquisition.  Onoja also said the law was not against any particular people but was aimed at livestock protection since it also applied to indigenes of the state who had cattle and other livestock.

The commissioner said those who are unable to meet the requirement are free to leave the state. Critics will say that is the intention all along.  Some herdsmen have also threatened to congregate in the Benue Valley and resist any attempt to stop them from grazing. While this bill was in response to the incessant crises in the state between herders and farmers and the governor responded to the yearnings of his people, it is important to re-examine it and seek a solution less than sending some citizens out of the state in a roundabout manner.

While the Agatu and other incidents were truly appalling, such clashes are a recent development and a departure from many decades of peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in the Benue valley. All over the country, clashes between farmers and herders have intensified due to rising population and less available land. The Benue situation is made worse due to its very rich pasture, which makes the land appealing to both farmers and herdsmen. 

We have severally called for a national program to end pastoralism and resettle all the herders. The program should involve all three tiers of government plus local and international NGOs and should have short, medium and long term aspects. For now however, we urge the Benue State government to delay implementation of its Anti-Grazing Law while heads are put together to work out a solution that accommodates all sides. There is the need for caution lest we precipitate another crisis in the search for a solution to crises.