With the September 1 deadline by Southern Nigerian states to enforce the ban on open grazing in their respective states just one day away, the pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has warned the Federal Government against jeopardising or frustrating the full enforcement of the law.
Recall that the governors of the 17 southern states at their meeting in Lagos on July 5, 2021, announced that open grazing of cattle would no longer be allowed in their respective states from September 1, 2021.
The announcement was received with applause by their people but with reservation by Fulani cattle herders.
But in a statement signed by Jare Ajayi, the national publicity secretary of the Afenifere, said on Monday that as the reality begins to dawn, there would no longer be a room for cows to roam about.
The group observed that the Federal Government might want to use its might to frustrate the efforts of states governments in this regard.
“This, it can do, by using the police and other security agencies to undermine the enforcement of the said law” the Afenifere said in the statement.
Ajayi, however, warned that doing so might be compounding the already bad security situation in the country.
Read also: Soyinka chides Buhari over plans to review grazing routes
“As the take-off date is knocking, it is clear that many states are ready to work their talk by giving the anti-open grazing laws legal backing since the proclamation has been passed or in the process of being passed.
“Of course, a few are yet to begin the process. As reality in Nigeria has repeatedly shown, however, the problem, most of the time, is not in having a legal instrument in place but in enforcing the laws. Unfortunately and regrettably, the chances of its being successfully enforced are slim because of the lopsided nature of the country’s policing system.
In Nigeria today, only the Nigerian Police can investigate and prosecute a suspect in a criminal case. Since the police are under the firm control of the Federal Government, it is possible to use the agency to frustrate the efforts of the states in this respect,” the group said.
Enforcement of the law against open grazing, Afenifere pointed out, is made more difficult when the interest of the powerful is at stake – as is the case on the issue of open grazing of cattle.
According to the statement, the disposition of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari is opposed to the declaration by the Southern governors. Therein lies the challenges of how the law can be successfully made to work as envisaged.
“It is worth recalling, however, that when some states in the north banned the selling and drinking of alcohol in public, they did not rely on the federally controlled Nigeria Police to enforce the law in their respective states. Rather, they set up what they called Hisbah (local police) to enforce the law. In this wise, it may not be out of place if the states concerned in the South also explore the means of ensuring the compliance of the laws they passed on cattle grazing.
“Incidentally, some states already have an instrument they could use for that purpose. By this one is referring to Amotekun in the Southwest and Ebube Agu in the Southeast. These local security networks should be allowed to enforce state laws particularly the one on open grazing. After all, the law against the selling and open consumption of alcohol is being enforced by Hisbah in the North. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander,” the Afenifere contended.
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