Nigerian government has banned the open grazing of cattle to reduce the growing anger sparked by the killings in Benue and other Nigerian states, saying all herdsmen must henceforth ranch their cattle.
The decision was taken at the end of a six-hour meeting of a Federal Government delegation, security agencies and five governors.
Reading their communique after the meeting, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortorm, accompanied by Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, said: “The meeting noted that all animal farmers must ranch their cattle and livestock for better productivity.”
The meeting also admonished Nigerians to live in peace, being the only way to resolve the perennial clashes between the herdsmen and farmers.
It cautioned Nigerians against hate speeches, noting that anyone found engaging in it should be dealt with by the security agencies.
The communique was agreed upon after a meeting of a Federal Government delegation, top security chiefs and five governors, some of whose states are mostly affected by the herders/farmers clashes.
Minister of Interior, AbdulRahman Dambazau and Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh met with Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa), Abubakar Bello (Niger) and Nasir El Rufai (Kaduna).
Also at the meeting were Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris, Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Gana Muhammadu, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) Mammam Daura, among others.
Dambazau said the meeting was to primarily share experiences among the stakeholders and agree on measures to tackle the menace.
Agric Minister, Audu Ogbeh said the inability of government to pay attention to herdsmen and cow farming, unlike other developed countries, contributed to the killings.
The Minister added that the Federal Government was “planning a programme called cattle colonies, not ranches but colonies where at least 5000 hectares of land, adequate water, adequate pasture would be made available rearing cattles. (Nigerian Cable News)
Please someone educate or explain this policy to me by answering the following questions:
1. What exactly does it mean to advice that “all animal farmers must ranch their cattle…?”
2. How exactly does this agreement or suggestion or admonition help solve the violent and wanton killings perpetrated against land owners and communities from the cattle ranchers?
3. Do the land owners have the ultimate right to bear arms and defend themselves and their compounds?
4. What penalties would await the cattle ranchers that would attack any community?
Cash Ezimako