Alhaji Saleh Bayari is the secretary general, member and secretary of the board of trustees of the Gam Allah Fulani Development Association. In this interview with our correspondent, he spoke on the anti-grazing law in some states, how it will affect the cattle economy and their demands, among others.

What is your association’s take on the new anti-open grazing law signed by the Benue State government?

The whole problem started in Ekiti State where the anti-grazing law was first enacted and we taught that Ekiti, being a state in the South, was just testing the waters but when it moved to the North that is basically the home of herdsmen who moved to the South as a result of desertification and global warming. We taught it won’t get to the North but unfortunately it came and they also started clamouring for ant-grazing law. We felt it was not going to be possible in such a swift manner it took in the state. We also know that they cannot make a law that will be a breach to the constitution of Nigeria. From our little understanding, this law is a direct confrontation with the constitution of Nigeria because every Nigerian has an inalienable right to move from one part of the country to another without seeking for a visa. We are baffled, and very surprised to find a state like Benue, which from time immemorial, has been the home of the herdsmen enacting such law. Benue State, from beginning of time, has been a state that has water, grass and other pastures that are not found in other parts of the country.


Is it possible to have your people rear their cattle in grazing reserves and would it solve the problem of herders/farmers clash in the country?

The first time this type of efforts were made in the country was around 1965 under the leadership of the Sardauna of Sokoto in the North and places like Wase, Dangarigari and Wawasange grazing reserves were quite attractive when they were first established because government then was serious and ready to do everything in those places to make the reserves habitable to the herdsmen. But after the First Republic, the noble programme was abandoned and that was the beginning of the problem. I don’t know any grazing reserve that has amenities that the herdsmen will find palatable and habitable for them to say, ‘this is home.’ Even in advanced countries that are being cited for mischief reasons to justify the banning of our traditional way of grazing, they do not have laws banning grazing in this form that some governors are doing in Nigeria. Even where the cattle ranches started, like in America around 1886, the cowboys and Texas rangers move their cows, riding horses through California to new Mexico, to San Juan - a journey of not less than 5000 kilometres - and back, for pleasure, as a tradition, as tourism, as education and adventure.


Are Fulani herders actually trouble-makers and why are they having problems with farmers around the country?

Fifty years ago, there were farmers and herdsmen and there were no problems between them. From our investigation, from 1999 every struggle for power has had its foundation in ethnicity, religion, sectionalism and others. People have realised that the easy way to access political office and to make money is to set one people against the other so that you will be seen to be a hero in the exploit of the division. Robbers and cattle rustlers made our people turn violent when they started kidnapping their relatives and demanding for ransom. These acts made the Fulani man to become aggressive and bear arms for self-defence and because of the need to have a balance of terror, to be able to survive. I also suggested during one of our meetings with the Inspector General of Police and commissioners of 36 states that you legally provide arms to the Fulani men to protect their means of livelihood and family or they get them by any means to defend themselves.


Are Fulani herders actually behind the killings in Benue State?

The killings in Benue are as a result of religion and ethnicity and they have been mostly done by a Tiv man who has a strong terrorist political pressure group and he is called Ghana. He has been terrorising people in Benue, Nasarawa and even in Taraba state and he has become the equivalence of Osama Bin Laden, Muhammad Yusuf and Shekau. But because some people are trying to establish the anti-open grazing law, they decided to attribute every killing done by Ghana to the herdsmen. They are trying to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. They make sure they created unnecessary animosity and bad blood between the people of Benue State and herdsmen.

The truth also is that the Tiv, Idoma, Agatu and other people in Benue are farmers but with the introduction of religion into politics and economy the Fulani people have been at the receiving end of these so-called natives. The bill is an accumulation of the failed effort of driving the herdsmen out of Benue State through the use of force. Now they feel the best way to go about it is to use the law in such a way that the herdsmen will have no say in the law. These people have been attacking the Fulani and the Fulani have been attacking back in self-defence.
The fear of the unknown is also making them to want to send them out of the state, alleging that they are planning to create an empire of Usman Danfodiyo. If not for mischief, why would they be talking about an empire that took place in the 17th century in the 21st century? We have read the law but there are no provisions on how we can access the ranches. Is it through the local government chairmen, village heads, district heads, ward heads, Tor Tiv or the governor? They have not told us how and where to get the land because an average Tiv man that I know can never leave his land for any amount for any herdsman

Source:https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/it-is-a-repressive-way-of-depriving-us-means-of-livelihood-bayeri/201317.html

You invade and kill people in their communities and say the constitution grants you the freedom of movement.

They are looking for ways to tAke people's lands.. Wives and properties on the guise of rearing cattles with the protection of the constitution of course

But not again
Nigerians are awake now

Hectarus:
These acts made the Fulani man to become aggressive and bear arms for self-defence and because of the need to have a balance of terror, to be able to survive. I also suggested during one of our meetings with the Inspector General of Police and commissioners of 36 states that you legally provide arms to the Fulani men to protect their means of livelihood and family or they get them by any means to defend themselves.

Source:https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/it-is-a-repressive-way-of-depriving-us-means-of-livelihood-bayeri/201317.html

It won't be out of place to say that the IGP is an accomplice in the murder of innocent people in the Middle Belt. This statement from this murderer proves that

Candyrain:


It won't be out of place to say that the IGP is an accomplice in the murder of innocent people in the Middle Belt. This statement from this murderer proves that

i absolutely concur

But they say Igbos don't respect their hosts!

Yet hypocritical Nigerians remain mute about herdsman.

They find their voice when it comes to Biafra

maria43:
You invade and kill people in their communities and say the constitution grants you the freedom of movement.

The man said "From our little understanding, this law is a direct confrontation with the constitution of Nigeria because every Nigerian has an inalienable right to move from one part of the country to another without seeking for a visa"... Are those cows they move about causing mayhem on people's farm also Nigerians with equal rights as citizens?

what were you expecting after snuffing out lives ?