Afenifere Hails Southwest Fulanis’ Ban On Night Grazing, Carrying Of Firearms

*Says it’s welcome development, calls for strict enforcement

By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere on Thursday, described the ban placed on night grazing, carrying firearms and herding by under-aged children by the leadership of Fulani communities in South West as a good omen

Afenifere in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi lauded the leadership of Fulani communities in South West for the bold decision

It stressed that with the pronouncement by the leadership of Fulani communities in the South West, there is the urgent need for its strict enforcement without further delay.

Afenifere pointed out that the pronouncement of the ban should be enforced to the letter, adding that with this position by the Fulanis, the anti-open grazing laws made by various states particularly in the Southwest, and others such as Lagos, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, Rivers, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi and Bayelsa will now be effectively implemented.

The Pan Yoruba organization maintained that with the realization by the Fulani leadership of the dangers inherent in open grazing, their people would now be made to co-operate with the governments to allow anti-open grazing law to be enforced and ensure peaceful co-habitation with their host communities.

Emphasizing that the position by Council of Fulani Chiefs in the Southwest represented “what Afenifere has always advocated since farmer/herders’ clashes became a recurring feature in Nigeria, Afenifere said ” Apart from the fact that open grazing is anachronistic, animals reared in a ranch are usually healthier, safer and more productive thus making the business more profitable without the risks inherent in open grazing”.

It however tasked the National Assembly to pass the necessary bill into law promptly and called on states with anti-open grazing laws to start enforcing them.

Afenifere called on those who are interested in livestock farming should create enclosures (ranches) for their animals “just as those who are into poultry business and others do”.

It would be recalled that the Chairman of the Council of Fulani Chiefs in the Southwest, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, at a press conference in Lagos early this week, outlined various measures the council considered as necessary to curb insecurity in the southwest and strengthen peaceful co-existence between herders and host communities in Yorubaland.

At the conference in which Fulani chiefs from all the southwest states including Kwara State were present, Bambado announced that:

“The Council affirms an absolute ban on night grazing, underage grazing, and herders carrying firearms or other dangerous weapons unrelated to the profession.” He asserted that this decision was taken as it will help to “restore sanity and peace in the sector”, he announced in reports.