Benue Assembly Passes Bill To Stop Open Grazing

CHANNELS TV

The Benue State House of Assembly, on Thursday passed the Open Rearing and Grazing Prohibition Bill 2017, which bans herdsmen from moving freely from one farming community, which often leads to crisis between farmers and herdsmen.

Apart from providing for the establishment of ranches as the only acceptable means of rearing livestock, the bill prescribes three years imprisonment term or one hundred thousand Naira per animal or both, for violation of the provisions of the law, including cattle rustling.

The lawmakers lauded the provision for monetary compensation in case of any damage to a property and imprisonment of two years of the livestock owner or manager, where such contravention caused the death of any person within the state, the owner or manager of such livestock shall be guilty of an offence of culpable homicide punishable under the Penal Code Law.

Members of the Movement Against Fulani Occupation (MAFO), presented a bill to the Benue State House of Assembly in March, 2016 after the infamous Agatu massacre.

In March 2017, One year after the presentation of the bill without any head way, members of MAFO took to the streets and occupied the State Assembly Complex, protesting against the lawmakers inactions.

The pressure mounted by the protesters, paid off when the lawmakers convened public hearings on the bills, including the Executive Bill sent by Governor Samuel Ortom.

State lawmakers made frantic contributions to the bill before it passed through the Third Reading and eventual passage.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange, after taking contributions and amendments to the bill, passed the bill after which it was read for the third time.

“We considered the bill for a law to prohibit open rearing and grazing of livestock and provide for the establishment of ranches and livestock administration, regulation and control and for matters connected with 2017, having been read for the third time, is hereby passed into law”.

One of the lawmakers whose constituency was badly affected, Honorable Ngunnan Adingi, representing Buruku State Constituency and a Chieftain of the pressure group, Movement Against Fulani Occupation, Dr Sam Abah, who witness the passage of the bill speaks.

“It is something we have been anticipating, something we have been hoping for and wanted because the reality is that, we cannot continue to have this menace and not checkmate it, so this bill for me and my people, the good people of Buruku, we have been looking forward to this bill and it is long overdue”.

“Today is a good day for us and we are happy that if the implementation goes properly, my people will have enough time to go back and farm”.

“The main focus is to remove cattle business in Benue from being a threat to security, lives and properties in Benue state. What we have in the current bill that has been passed, has made adequate provision to protect lives and properties and that is why we went to congratulate the Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly for a job well done”.

“Under the law that is coming, you cannot just grab anybody’s land, occupy that land and say you are growing your cattle. You must follow the procedure”.

Channels Television sought the view of the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Michael Gusa, on how the implementation of the bill could end farmers/herdsmen crisis, he hints on creating security marshals.

According to him, “This law is coming with a provision that will establish guards, who together with these security committees that are already in place, will now be used to implement or enforce the provision of this law. And as I said earlier, this chain of reporting, comes from the village to the kindred levels, the ward level, local government level and finally to the state government”.

“You discover that both the herders and farmers at each levels, are members of the committee and so, we believe that Benue State will be more peaceful than we met it”.

But a Chieftain and Spokesperson for MAFO, Pastor Dave Ogbole says, beyond the implementation strategy, a four point solution on legislation, Justice for victims of herdsmen attacks, reconstruction of affected Benue communities and compensation is the ideal way out.

“We have always advocated a four part solution to this entire crisis. Firstly, to legislate which is has begun now by the passage of this bill”.

“Secondly, to disarm and to prosecute an entity or a group of people to be allowed to carry arms around, which they have inflicted harm on other Nigerians, is illegal and it something that should be addressed by the government”.

“Finally, we as have been advocating for the reconstruction of Benue communities. Rehabilitation, reconstruction and compensation for Benue communities affected by the menace of herdsmen over the years”.