The meeting of Southern governors in
Asaba, Delta State

By Adejumo Kabir
After many years of crisis between
farmers and herders across various
parts of Nigeria, the 17 southern
governors on May 11 resolved to ban
open grazing of cattle in their states.
The governors who made the decisions
include Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State,
Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Kayode
Fayemi of Ekiti State, Seyi Makinde of
Oyo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and
Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos State.
Other governors at the meeting where
the resolution was made were : Okezie
Ikpeazu of Abia State, Emmanuel Udom
of Akwa Ibom, Willie Obiano of
Anambra, Diri Duoye of Bayelsa, Ben
Ayade of Cross Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of
Delta, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Godwin
Obaseki of Edo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of
Enugu, Hope Uzodinma of Imo and
Nyesom Wike of Rivers States.
Meeting of Nigeria’s Southern Governors
in Asaba, Delta State
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the
meeting, which lasted for four hours,
took place in Asaba, the capital city of
Delta State.
The governors said the incursion of
armed herders, criminals, and bandits
into the Southern part of the country has
presented a severe security challenge
such that citizens are unable to live their
normal lives.
They, therefore, resolved “that open
grazing of cattle be banned across
Southern Nigeria; noted that
development and population growth has
put pressure on available land and
increased the prospects of conflict
between migrating herders and local
populations in the South. Given this
scenario, it becomes imperative to
enforce the ban on open grazing in the
South (including cattle movement to the
South by foot).”
Controversy
The decision of the governors was
criticised by the Attorney General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami.
He said the governors’ decision “does
not align with the provisions of the
Constitution, hence it does not hold
water.”
“It is about constitutionality within the
context of the freedoms expressed in
our Constitution. Can you deny the
rights of a Nigerian?



Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
He, however, advised the governors to
work towards the amendment of the
1999 Constitution in their move to
prohibit open grazing.
“If you are talking of constitutionally
guaranteed rights, the better approach to
it is to perhaps go back to ensure the
Constitution is amended.
But he was quickly tackled by Governor
Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who
insisted that the decision of the
governors was “irreversible.”
He said it was most “unfortunate that
the AGF is unable to distil issues as
expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing
can be more disconcerting.
He urged Mr Malami “to approach the
court to challenge the legality of the
Laws of the respective states banning
open grazing and decision of the
Southern Governor Forum taken in the
interest of their people.
“We shall be most willing to meet him in
Court. The decision to ban open grazing
stays. It will be enforced with vigour,”
said Mr Akeredolu, who is also a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court,
Abuja on Thursday affirmed the right of
Nigerian states to implement anti-
grazing laws in their domains.
Open grazing and insecurity
Open grazing is an old practice of
roaming ruminant animals in open
fields, plains and bushes in search of
pasture or foliage.
The system in the last few years has
triggered conflicts between host
communities and migrant herders,
leading to several deaths in many states
across the country.

Aside deaths of different individuals, it
has also led to loss of property worth
millions of Naira and food shortages due
to neglect of farm lands and destruction
of crops.
The common way through which open
grazing is done in Nigeria is that cattle
are taken out to the field every morning
for sedentary grazing and during the
period of looking for what to feed on,
they damage people’s crops.
While some crop owners may get
compensated, other incidents would
lead to conflicts. Some farmers have in
the past also been alleged of poisoning
cattle.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the
conflicts between herders and farmers
have strengthened the debates around
true federalism and restructuring which,
among other things, will allow state
governors to have control over state
police.
Both herders and farmers often raise
allegations and counter allegations
against themselves. It became more
pronounced when some herders
destroyed the farm of a former Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Olu
Falae.



A former Secretary to the Government of
the Federation and ex-Minister of
Finance, Olu Falae
After the destruction, Mr Falae was
abducted by armed herders on his farm
in Akure, Ondo State. He reportedly paid
N5 million to regain his freedom.
This ,among many other cases, has
been reported in the past and has
triggered ethnic crises in some South-
weststates where locals are demanding
the eviction of herders.
Even with the creation of a regional
security network code named Operation
Amotekun by South-west governors, the
farmer-herder crisis continues.
Curbing farmer-herder violence
A security expert told PREMIUM TIMES
that if not politicised, the decision of the
governors to ban open grazing has the
potential of curbing farmer-herder
violence in Nigeria.
Timothy Avele, managing director of
Agent-X Security Limited, said the ban
may have both positive and negative
effects.
“On one hand, it will definitely reduce the
issue of criminal herdsmen kidnapping
because the alibi of staying in the forest
in the guise of rearing cows will no
longer be there as a cover. More so it
will also put a stop to the herders/
farmers crisis in the South but triple in
the north and Middle Belt.
“I’m afraid if no compromise is reached
between the northern governors and
their southern colleagues on this issue,
it could lead to another bigger crisis
altogether. This is beside the Fulani’s
expected revolt should the plan come
into action. Every side needs to tread
softly,” he said.
On his part, Mr Falae, former Secretary
to the Government of the Federation,
applauded the decision of the
governors.
“It is obvious that open grazing of cattle
in other people’s farms is the source of
general insecurity in Nigeria. I knew
herdsmen bringing their cattle from the
north to be friendly but the relationship
in the last 15 years…
“Before then, they don’t destroy farms
but rather to sell. The moment there
was pressure in the north and desert
encroachment in the north, they moved
to the south and carried out open
grazing. Grazing is a universal activity
and virtually all states of the world pass
through open grazing but they left that
behind centuries ago.
“So, what is left for Nigeria to do is to
make a transition from open grazing to
proper grazing where the herdsmen will
acquire their land, fence their land and
secure them. The problem is that the
owners of the cattle want to continue to
raise them at our expense. That’s the
problem.
“I will say once open grazing comes to
an end, especially in the southern part of
Nigeria, I will say 80 per cent to 90 per
cent of the (insecurity) battle is won.
The law that says everybody can live
anywhere does not guarantee the
destruction of other people’s farms,” he
said.
Also, the spokesperson of Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF), Emmanuel
Yawe, said the group agreed with the
decision of the governors.
“We have resolved that carrying of cattle
all over the place is not the best. It is
not the most modern and it puts herders
at risk. We have already decided on
ranching and in the last meeting we had
with the Miyetti Allah (cattle breeders
association), they also agreed with us.
“Even the Miyetti Alllah said open
grazing is not allowing their children to
even face their education and they are
being used for kidnappings because
they don’t have skills to do other things.
“They just give them guns and even
when they get ransom, they give them
less than N10,000. So, they said if the
government decides on ranching, they
will prefer that to roaming around.
“We do not disagree with the governors
except the fact that governors may
grandstand. These killings have been
happening over and over and we are
tired of it too.
“Let the governors work it out. Let them
work on modalities to achieve this. They
should confine herdsmen on how to do
ranching and not make their decisions
look political. It is a problem that affects
all of us. The ban is part of the
solution,” he said.
‘Authorities must be intentional’
While experts commended the
governors, they urged them to be
intentional with their decisions.
A Nigerian economist, Tope Fasua, said
“such a move will help to reduce farmer-
herder clashes. The point is that in this
modern age, there’s no more fallow
land, the population is increasing and if
we are in a serious country, the fallow
lands should be cultivated.
“Let the governors take this step forward
by collaborating with the private sector
for mechanized farming. No land should
be fallow. Everything should be actively
used and it does not require much
thinking to know that such a resolution
should have been passed a long time
ago.”
The Southern Senators Forum in a
statement encouraged the governors to
swiftly follow up on their resolutions by
immediately approaching the leadership
of the National Assembly with a view to
working with the two arms of the
parliament to ensure that their well-
articulated positions on the state of the
nation are thoroughly addressed through
the ongoing constitutional review
exercise.
Also, the Civil Liberties Organisation
(CLO) advised that each of the
governors should back the decision with
the law in their respective states.
The CLO in a statement by its Chairman,
Franklyn Isong, and Secretary,
Christopher Ekpo, called on the
respective governors to initiate bills to
their state Houses of Assembly without
delay.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/462883-analysis-how-southern-governors-ban-on-open-grazing-may-reduce-farmer-herder-crisis.html

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Haven't the Fulani people noticed that everywhere that they have practiced that open grazing has gradually turned into a desert? Up North is mostly desert with little to no rainfall as of today but I bet you it wasn't so before the coming of Usman Dan Fodio. There is a reason why even white people all over the world that are clearly doing well off with their animal farming are into ranching. (Not that I am supporting animal husbandry or killing of animals for food or anything.)
Don't even get me started on that whole "Western Education is haram" crap. There is nothing like "western education"! All the information that the western world enjoys today has been a collective human effort. Everything invented in the world today came from literally every race that has been doing something since the beginning of time, even Africa!!! E shock you?!!! What is available is the "Western Scheme of Work"...anyone that tells you that western education is haram wants to use your brain like they clearly have been using it from what we've experienced in Nigeria so far. Who in their right mind will be carrying cattle up and down inside the bush year in year out like an animal? Are you an animal? Even animals sef get feelings and sense, Don't you have sense? Something that was practiced over 3000 years ago and you are still doing it in this age when we can fly and talk to each other across a great distance, is it not stupidity? That's why they are herding you all like cattle. They will tell you to kill your fellow black man and like a fool you jump and do their bidding, desecrating the laws of the land and putting your life and the lives of your people in danger. Y'all Fulanis should know that you are turning out to be a great embarrassment to the African nation. Una dey disgrace us.

Noted