Open grazing is part of Fulani rights to co-exist in Nigeria

The spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for his handling of the grazing reserves problem as part of the efforts to deescalate farmer-herder crises in Nigeria.

According to NEF spokesman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the governors rushing to sign the anti-open grazing act into law are also wrong.

The southern part of the country, and Jigawa  in the north, have banned  open-grazing and under-age grazing.

Baba-Ahmed said in an interview on Channels Television that NEF is in support of open grazing.

“What we are insisting on is that this haste to sign laws that ban open grazing is both counterproductive [and] very damaging to the spirit of coexistence,” he said

He, however, made it clear the elders are in support of ranching.

“We are in support of ranching, domesticating cattle, modern ways on how both the cattle and the Fulani man can rest from this worrisome way of which it can be done.

“When you hear governors say you’re on your own, find a way to protect yourselves, you are then talking about anarchy.

“The more the states fail to provide security to communities, the more communities become desperate”, he stated.