The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN has said that the anti-open grazing law recently enacted by some states will worsen cattle rustling and undermine stability.
The group, therefore, called on the national assembly to intervene, adding that the law will hamper the ability of pastoralists to function effectively.
Saleh Alhassan, national secretary of the association, stated this on Monday at an event held at Uke, Karu LGA of Nasarawa State, NAN reports.
Alhassan said the anti-open grazing law would destroy livestock production and send millions of people that depend on the livestock value chain into poverty.
He appealed to the national assembly to come to the rescue of the pastoralists by “resuscitating and passing the grazing reserves commission bill and other livestock management bills that were initiated by the previous assembly”.
He also called on the federal government to create a federal ministry of livestock and fisheries as seen in “many African countries”.
He stressed the need for the government to take an inventory of all the existing grazing reserves, trans-human corridors, major stock routes and fully develop at least one grazing reserve in each senatorial district.
“This is in line with the recommendation of the inter-ministerial committee on livestock development in Nigeria 2015, the report of the President Committee on Pastoralists and Insecurity 2014 and National Livestock Transformation Programme,” he said.
Alhassan said the review of the land use act was long overdue to accommodate the interest of all land resources users, including pastoralists.
He said ranching requires capital investment and is difficult to sustain, and “not small livestock holder-centred”.
Alhassan also condemned the “profiling” of Fulani herders by Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue.
“Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore totally condemns the continuous extortion and profiling of the Fulani pastoralists by Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue and we call on him to offer apology to the Fulani race,” he said.
“We commend the courageous efforts of the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari for listening to our consistent call to restore the existing grazing reserves, routes and create new ones.
“Because it is the only sustainable solution to the farmers and herders conflicts in the country.”
