Controversy trails grazing ban in Taraba

Early this month, Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State submitted an executive bill for the prohibition of open grazing and the establishment of ranches to the state House of Assembly. The bill has generated a lot of controversy, with members of the Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the state rejecting it. […]

Early this month, Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State submitted an executive bill for the prohibition of open grazing and the establishment of ranches to the state House of Assembly.

The bill has generated a lot of controversy, with members of the Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the state rejecting it. They accused the state government of trying to dislodge them from the state.

But from all indications, both the House of Assembly and the executive would not yield to pressure as it seems they are determined to ensure the passage of the bill.

Findings by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that the bill has entered its second reading; and in few weeks, the House will present it for public hearing.

When the bill is passed into law, it will be an offence for any person to graze his animals in an open space. And the offender would be liable to a fine or jail term upon conviction.

When the bill, titled, “The Taraba State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill 2017,” is passed into law, a committee comprising officials of the state Ministry of Agriculture, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and representatives of all security agencies in the state, would be set up by the governor. According to the bill, the committee will, among other things, give conditions for the establishment, ownership and operation of livestock ranches.

The committee will also be saddled with the responsibility of considering suitable locations and facilities, as well as the lease or sale of lands by individuals, the state and local governments, for the purpose of establishing ranches for livestock farming.

The committee is also to prescribe regulations, restriction and vehicular movement and passage of livestock to and from ranches. It will ensure that all livestock are reared and maintained only at permitted ranches. 

Also, the committee would work out modalities for the establishment and maintenance of a special livestock control and open grazing prohibition and ranch administration marshals, with units in each of the 16 local government areas of the state.

According to the bill, the special marshals would comprise of regular security operatives and voluntary individuals.

Section 19 of the bill states that it shall be lawful for the special marshals to arrest and detain any person or group of persons who engage in open grazing or movement of livestock without a permit.

 Section 2 of the bill also states that no special marshal shall be personally liable for any act or omission done in good faith while discharging his duties. 

The bill further stipulates that a first offender would be liable to a fine of N50, 000 or imprisonment for one year while serial offenders would be made to pay a fine of N100, 000 or be committed to prison for two years.

One of the objectives of the bill is to prevent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Governor Ishaku, who initiated the bill, said it was in the interest of cattle breeders. He said that moving herds of cattle from one place to another was outdated because of many problems associated with it. According to him, keeping animals in a ranch was the best method of livestock production because it is safer, more profitable and hygienic. He further said that due to increase in human population, land is no longer enough to allocate to herdsmen for grazing. 

“We need more land for roads, schools, dams and town expansion.” the governor added.

He, however, assured herdsmen that portions of land would be allocated to them across the state for the purpose of establishing ranches. He said the state government would establish locations for the production of special animal feeds as is done in developed countries, adding that jobs would be created under the arrangement.

“Let me allay the fear of herdsmen and any person that engages in rearing livestock – the new approach will turn out to be the best,” Governor Ishaku said.

He explained that those kicking against the proposed ban on open grazing were not sincere because they knew there was a lot of hazard associated with the practice of moving herds of cattle from one place to another. He said that apart from conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, there was also the danger of cattle rustling, which has continuously put the lives of herdsmen in danger.

 Addressing newsmen in his office recently, the speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Mr Abel Diah, said the state legislature had the responsibility to make laws for the good of all citizens of the state. He said it was not true that the bill was targeted at the Fulani tribe. Diah said that in Taraba, all tribes were engaged in livestock production; therefore, rearing cattle is not only meant for the Fulani. He said he also had herds of cattle in a ranch. 

He said one of the objectives of the law was to reduce crisis between farmers and herdsmen, as well as introduce modern approach to livestock production as it is done in advanced societies.

He advised members of the MACBAN to make their submissions in support or against the bill instead of embarking on protest.

Reacting to the proposed law, the MACBAN and other stakeholders rejected the move, saying it was ill conceived. He said it was a calculation to dislodge the Fulani from the state.

A cattle breeder, Malam Yakubu Lawal, who accused Governor Ishaku and the speaker of the state House of Assembly of having a hidden agenda, said Taraba was not like any other state because the Fulani in the state were indigenes and in all the local government areas.

He alleged that the idea of creating special marshals to enforce the proposed ban on open grazing in the state was just a cover up to create state police.

In his reaction, the chairman MACBAN in the state, Malam Sahabi Tukur, said the proposed law was ill conceived, wicked and targeted at the Fulani. He said that over the years, their members had been killed and their cattle rustled. He further said that Taraba had the highest concentration of livestock in the country, which yields good revenue for the state government, yet it does not care to develop the sector. 

Tukur said that if the state government had good intentions for livestock development as he claimed in the bill, he should tell them how much he budgeted for that sector in 2016.

“This government claims that they have interest in livestock development in the state, but they refused to allocate money to the sector in the last two years,” the chairman said.

He said it was equally not true that the state government would allocate lands to the Fulani for ranches. According to him, the Fulani are being killed and forced out of already established ranches.

He also alleged that the issue was political and the proposed law aimed at persecuting the Fulani because they were perceived to belong to a different political party rather than the one ruling the state.

“Rearing of cattle and other domestic animals is being practised, not only by the Fulani, but even some past governors in Taraba, but the fact remains that the Fulani have no other means of livelihood,’’ Malam Tukur said.

He said the association would go to court over the matter, adding that they were already in consultation with their lawyers.

Thousands of members the MACBAN had staged a peaceful protest in Jalingo against the bill. The protesters came from 16 local government areas of the state, carrying placards with different inscriptions such as, “The law is undemocratic and is targeted at a particular tribe.’’

In his address at the state House of Assembly, the state chairman of the association, Tukur, urged legislators not to pass the bill into law. He also asked the state government to return all the cattle routes and grazing reserves converted to farmlands and residential areas before banning open grazing.

In his address to the protesters, Speaker Diah, who spoke in Fulfulde, said it was easier and more profitable to breed cattle in ranches, adding that apart from being more convenient, ranching reduces conflicts between herdsmen and farmers.

Similarly, farmers union in the state also staged a rally in support of the proposed ban of open grazing in the state. The chairman of the association, Mr Ibrahim Bitrus, said they were in support of the bill, explaining that it would address the lingering conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.

“We encourage all peace-loving persons to support the law as it will bring lasting peace between farmers and herdsmen across the state,’’ Bitrus said.