The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday advanced a significant piece of legislation, passing for second reading a bill aimed at banning open grazing and establishing a national agency for the regulation and management of ranches across the country.
The bill, titled “A Bill to Establish a National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission for the Regulation, Management, Preservation and Control of Ranches Throughout Nigeria; and for Connected Purposes, 2024,” seeks to address the long-standing conflicts between pastoralists and farmers in Nigeria.
Sponsored by Senator Titus Zam (APC – Benue North-West), the bill is a response to the violent invasion of farmlands by herders, which has escalated into conflicts with devastating impacts on communities and the nation’s stability.
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“The Senate cannot afford to look on while the country burns into ashes as a result of violent clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders,” Zam said, emphasizing the urgency of the legislation.
The bill proposes the establishment of ranches as a sustainable alternative to open grazing, which has been the traditional method of livestock management in Nigeria. Zam argued that ranching would reduce conflicts and align with international best practices in animal husbandry, which are safer and healthier for both the herds and the herders.
Zam highlighted the Senate’s responsibility to address this issue, saying, “As stakeholders in the Nigeria project and elected representatives of the people, doing so would amount to abdication of our statutory and leadership responsibilities.”
He lamented the Nigerian state’s historical inaction, “Every effort is laced with maneuvers that speak to our ethnic and political biases or sentiments, thus resisted by the people.”
The bill also specifies that ranches should be established in the pastoralists’ states of origin and that approvals from host communities are necessary to establish ranches, aiming to ensure peaceful coexistence.
The bill received support from several senators, including Enyinnaya Abaribe, Danjuma Goje, Garba Musa Maidoki, Barau Jibrin, Adamu Aliero, and Kawu Sumaila, although some expressed concerns about certain clauses. Abaribe suggested amendments to the constitution and the Land Use Act to simplify land management within states, noting that peaceful herders should not be penalized along with criminal elements.
Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi-West) suggested a nationwide establishment of ranches. At the same time, the former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammed Goje, criticized the bill for restricting herders to specific regions, calling it discriminatory.
“There are many angles to this issue of farmers and herders. We have to tackle the problem holistically. These Fulanis are Nigerians,” Goje stated.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for calm and a public hearing to include all stakeholders, cattle rearers, and state governments.
“We must hold a public hearing and bring all the stakeholders to have a say,” Akpabio remarked, assuring that offensive clauses not in line with the constitution would be deleted.
However, Senator Adamu Aliero raised constitutional concerns, citing Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees free movement for all Nigerians.
He argued, “Any law that would restrict the movement of any Nigerian person and his property would be a direct breach of the Constitution.”
Despite the opposition, the bill passed the second reading and was forwarded to the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Trade and Investment, Judiciary, and Legal Matters for further legislative input over the next four weeks.
The bill’s progression marks a crucial step in addressing one of Nigeria’s most persistent and violent conflicts, setting the stage for a comprehensive debate on the future of livestock management in the country.
Potential to End ‘Farmer-Herder Crisis’
Many believe that the bill has the potential to significantly reduce the menace of killer herdsmen in Nigeria by providing a structured and regulated approach to livestock management. Earlier, security experts had advocated ranching, as opposed to open grazing, noting that it can mitigate conflicts over land and resources. They argued that by confining cattle to designated areas, the chances of cattle encroaching on farmlands and destroying crops would be minimized, thereby reducing friction between herders and farmers.
Besides addressing conflict, this shift is also expected to facilitate better disease control and improve the overall health of livestock, benefiting the agricultural economy.
However, stakeholders believe the success of this initiative hinges on political will and the elimination of tribal and political sentiments that have historically impeded such reforms. The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, along with other Northern politicians, often displayed a reluctance to fully embrace anti-open grazing laws, likely due to the political and cultural significance of pastoralism in the North.
A notable example of political and tribal sentiment interfering with effective conflict resolution was the Ruga settlement plan introduced during Buhari’s tenure. The Ruga initiative aimed to create rural settlements for herders to practice modern animal husbandry. While it had the potential to reduce farmer-herder clashes, it was met with widespread resistance and suspicion, especially in the southern and middle-belt regions. Critics viewed the initiative as a veiled attempt to appropriate land for the exclusive benefit of Fulani herders, exacerbating ethnic tensions.
The backlash led to the suspension of the Ruga project, highlighting the deep-seated mistrust and the influence of ethnic politics on national policy-making.
Against this backdrop, security experts note that for the ranching bill to succeed where previous efforts have faltered, it must be implemented with transparency and inclusiveness, involving local communities in decision-making processes. They also said it should be accompanied by constitutional amendments to address land use issues and provide clear legal backing for the establishment and management of ranches.
There are concerns about the enforcement of the potential law, given the struggle of some states like Benue – with anti-open grazing laws to enforce them. However, the ongoing debate in the Senate and the planned public hearings offer a critical opportunity to build consensus and ensure that the final legislation is robust, equitable, and capable of stopping the killing of farmers by herders in Nigeria.