The governors of Kaduna and Ondo
states, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Akeredolu, have disagreed on the likelihood
that the ban on open grazing will address the constant farmer/herder clash
across the nation.
Speaking during a plenary session
at the Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr Akeredolu said the
practice of open grazing is not ideal for Nigeria.
Countering Mr Akeredolu, Mr
El-Rufai claimed the nomadic grazing is a culture that cannot be put away
easily.
The Southern Governors Forum had
banned open grazing in the 17 southern states. This was part of the 12
resolutions reached by the governors at a meeting they held in May 2021.
Open grazing of cattle has often
caused conflicts between host communities and itinerant herders, leading to
several deaths in many states.
Mr Akeredolu said state
governments decided to take up the task of securing their citizens after the
Nigerian justice system failed to do so.
“The open grazing ban in the
South is not an issue of sentiments or ethnicity gains but the government has
the right to protect the people. We will not allow anyone to destroy our
farmers,” he said.
“Our justice system is faulty, we
have a police system that is not willing to make arrests. But with the
introduction of the Amotekun outfit in the south west, if any herder trespasses
on people’s farmland, they will be arrested.
“In Ondo State, we don’t have
terrorism. Our problem is farmer/herder clashes and kidnap for ransom.We have
drug abuse and agitation for self determination. We have always preached
multi-level policing in Ondo State. We believe in layers of security.
“Today, if you trespass on other
people’s land, the Amotekun will go after you and arrest you. They pay
compensation to the farmers and when they fail they are in court. It is the
only way you can send signals to the people.
“When you commit a crime and the hands of law
don’t catch up with you, another person will repeat it. I can assure you that
when you do not have an effective policing system, there is little or nothing a
governor can do. And the criminal trial is taking too long,” Mr Akeredolu said.
He spoke of the need for a
multi-level policing that promotes independent security outfits to ensure
security in states.
Mr El-Rufai alleged that the open
grazing ban by the southern governors is a political drive.
“Building ranches and creating incentives for herders is the solution to the farmer/herder crisis. There is enough land for ranching in Nigeria,” he said.
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