A bill aimed at restricting the movement of herders and their cattle from state to state, while promoting the establishment of ranches, has passed its second reading in the Senate on Wednesday.
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 ban open grazing and restrict herders’ movements to their states of origin.
Senator Titus Zam, representing Benue North-West Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress, sponsored the bill, emphasizing the growing conflicts between herders and farmers in Nigeria. Senator Zam highlighted that the bill identifies ranching as the sole viable alternative for cattle breeding in the country. He stressed the urgency of transitioning from traditional livestock practices to modern methods, which are both safer and healthier for the animals and the herders.
“The bill provides for the establishment of ranches in the herders’ state of origin without imposing it on other states or communities that do not have them as citizens,” explained Zam. He urged the Senate to take decisive action against the clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders, which are increasingly resembling a state of war with significant negative impacts on the nation.
“As stakeholders in the Nigeria project and elected representatives of the people, failing to act would amount to abdication of our statutory and leadership responsibilities,” said Zam. He insisted that the persistent conflict could be effectively addressed by legislatively banning open grazing, aligning with international best practices in animal husbandry.
Zam further commented, “Every effort is laced with maneuvers that speak to our ethnic and political biases or sentiments, thus resisted by the people. This 10th Senate has a date with history. We must rise in one accord to sort out this problem of herders-farmers violent conflicts that would, if allowed to linger longer, consume even more lives and property than the civil war of 1967-1970.”
He continued, “Therefore, now is the time to put a permanent stop to the endless cycle of attacks and counter-attacks by our people and their external collaborators. Now is the time to adopt international best practices in animal husbandry. Now is the time to bring about a law to stop open grazing. It is old fashioned, hazardous, burdensome and must be discarded.”
Senator Zam also noted that individuals in the cattle business must obtain approvals from their host communities to establish ranches, ensuring peaceful co-existence among all parties involved.
