Malam Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina is a former Director in the Department of State Services (DSS), a research fellow and currently Head of Security at the Baze University in Abuja. In this interview, he says Benue State should reappraise the anti-grazing law and adopt a more gradualist approach to its implementation. Excerpts:

How do you view the crisis of herdsmen and farmers in the country?

It is quite an unfortunate development. It shouldn’t have been there in the first place, but you know in any society, there is bound to be such challenges here and there; but our ability to overcome them determines who we are. So, I think this crisis is not insurmountable, we can find solution to it, and I pray in the long run, we will come out stronger.

The security challenges that Benue, Taraba and other states are facing is something I think we have taken for granted. We shouldn’t have allowed it to reach the level it has reached. Look at the historical antecedents and the relationships; we shouldn’t waste that. What lessons and what do we want for the future generations? So, any action we take, we should bear in mind its consequences for future generations.

There are suggestions that the anti-grazing law was hastily implemented. What is your take?

Actually, before we enact any law, not only for Benue State, but all other states across the country, we have research institutes across the country, why do we have them? We should commission research into anything we want to do so that we test the hypotheses. Is it going to work? What would be the side effects? When you do that, by gauging the outcome of your research, you can determine what next. But these research centres are there wasting. For instance, I am sure had it been His Excellency, the Governor of Benue State, contacted the University of Agriculture in Benue, Benue State University, gave them the challenge to develop hypotheses on the pros and cons, what is the multiplier effect for this anti-grazing bill and if they developed this for him, he could sit with his security team because I know they will give him facts and not be sycophantic. That would have determined his action. That is what is obtainable in advanced climes and that’s why they have less conflicts.

I am sure what the governor has missed, he took things for granted; he shouldn’t have rushed it. We have a lot of resource persons who could have helped him. Look at the relationship between the Fulani and the Tiv; which had been so cordial and interesting. Now, with this development it has been punctured because of the absence of research. Now the effects are coming which were not foreseen. Of what benefit is the law to the dead? I think we should do the right thing. Let our governors, policy makers and security organisations commission research before taking any action. Go to NIPSS and others, there are enough materials.

The state actually embarked on public hearing and invited stakeholders who submitted memoranda. Are you saying those submissions were not good enough?

Among the stakeholders that were invited, they are experts in their own way, but what I am talking about are research fellows. They should invite people from these research institutions who would produce a more objective report. You know, mostly, we do public hearings to suit our own interest. But when you call a research fellow, he will tell you the exact thing without minding your feelings because he wants to save his integrity.

What would the possible outcome of the research have achieved in mitigating the tensions?

Yes, before you implement, it has to be in stages, and that is what the absence of the law has led to what we are having. Nobody told the governor the effects. How can you enact a law today and say in the next three or four months implement it? It is not possible. Give it a grace period of at least five years minimum and the research will tell you this is the best place to take these people, this is what to tell them to convince them. It has to involve a lot of advocacy and conflict resolution experts to assuage the Fulani or the other people that are affected by it. So that by the time the law is implemented, they will be among those that would ensure its implementation.

Do you support calls for state police?

In as well as we understand the dynamics of the system, there is no need to create fear out of state police; they complement each other. USA has state police, why can’t Nigeria have it? You have fear if you don’t understand something. It is only knowledge that will clear the coast for you. We should not do the policy off-hand based on emotions, we must understand the imperatives, cost, benefits and modified concept of community and state policies.

Read more at https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-politicians-should-weigh-laws-they-make-to-avert-crises.html#0AZ3teRc6mYuhkP6.99