Miyetti Allah Talks Tough as Governor Akeredolu Signs Anti-Open Grazing Law

• The secretary-general of MACBAN, Nigeria's herders' association, Usman Baba-Ngelzerma, has faulted Governor Akeredolu's signing of anti-open grazing law in Ondo state
• Baba-Ngelzerma said the same law has failed to bring about peace in Benue state years after it was put in place
• The MACBAN's secretary-general said the herders were not carried along in most of the states where the law has been passed

Akure, Ondo state - The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has kicked against the signing of the anti-open grazing law in Ondo state.

Legit.ng reported that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the state governor, on Tuesday, August 31, signed the anti-open grazing bill into law.

The governor said the move is in line with the resolution of the southern governors that all states in the region should make a law prohibiting open grazing before September 1.

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However, speaking on Arise Television on Thursday, September 2, Usman Baba-Ngelzerma, MACBAN secretary-general, said Akeredolu should learn from the situation in Benue state.

According to him, the anti-open grazing law has not brought peace to Benue state four years after it was signed, The Cable reported.

Baba-Ngelzerma claimed herdsmen who are important stakeholders were not invited for public hearings in most of the states where the anti-open grazing law is in place.

His words:

“In most of the states, none of our members have been invited for public hearing and make inputs to the law and this law is done to affect us 100%, to affect our members 100%. We are part of the critical stakeholders that are supposed to be invited to hear our views and protect our positions and that of the government of the states where we exist.

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“So, we will wait and see how this law is going to be implemented but I will like to draw the attention of Ondo to Benue where a law has been put in place. Go and appraise the Benue law, has it succeeded in bringing peace to Benue? It has never succeeded in bringing peace to Benue. Rather, it has further aggravated the situation to becoming worse, day in day out.

“Laws are supposed to bring harmony and understanding in a community.”

Baba-Ngelzerma said ranches must be established before the implementation of the law banning open grazing, The Punch also reported.

Open grazing should be banned all over Nigeria - Hamzat

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the convener of a pressure group, Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazak Hamzat, stated that open grazing should be banned all over Nigeria.

The Abuja-based activist made the statement in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng while reacting to the ban on open grazing across southern Nigeria by the Southern Governors Forum.

According to him, open grazing is not only archaic, it is unbefitting of any civilized nation in the 21st century.

Source: Legit.ng