The Senate has passed to the second reading a bill for an act to establish the National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission for the regulation, management, prevention, and control of ranches throughout the country.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Zam Titus representing Benue North West, aims to avert the incessant clashes, violence, and killings between farmers and herders in Nigeria if passed into law.
Presenting the lead debate before the Senate plenary, Senator Zam reminded the lawmakers of the increasing wave of violent conflicts that erupt between pastoralists and farmers in Nigeria.
These conflicts have assumed a war-like dimension with far-reaching negative impacts on the people and the country as a whole.
He emphasized that as stakeholders in the Nigerian project and elected representatives of the people, they cannot afford to stand idly by while the country burns into ashes due to violent clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders.
According to Senator Zam Titus, the menace of these crises can easily be cured through a legislative therapy by banning open grazing in Nigeria.
He said historically, herders-farmers conflicts dated back to pre-colonial times have become more severe, intense and frequent in recent decades due to a number of factors which include population pressure, climate change, livestock mobility and marketability, absence of laws on pastoralism, inefficient conflict management mechanism, proliferation of arms and urbanization.
To this ends, reports have it that, since 2016 more than 4000 lives have been lost as a result of farmers herders conflicts.
Also over 5 million people have been displaced particularly in the Middle Belt Region and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
The sponsor of the bill said the bill proposes ranching as the only viable alternative for cattle breeding in Nigeria, and advocated for the urgent need to transit from traditional livestock keeping
method to the modern methods which are safer and healthier herds.
He also said the bill proposes that ranches be established in the pastoralists state of origin without forcing it upon other states or communities that do not have pastoralists as citizens.
The bill also proposes that interested parties approvals of their host communities to co-existence in livestock business must seek and obtain establish ranches for the purpose of peaceful
So many senators supported the bill while some kicked against it
But during debate on the bill, while Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe ( APGA Abia South) , Garba Musa Maidoki ( PDP Kebbi South), Abba Moro ( PDP Benue South ) , supported the bill ,
Others are Senators Adamu Aliero ( PDP Kebbi Central) , Suleiman Kawu ( NNPP Kano South) , Danjuma Goje ( APC Gombe Central ) , kicked against the bill .
Senator Aliero in opposing the bill, raised constitutional point of order by quoting section 41 of the 1999 Constitution which gives all Nigerians free movement into any state with their property .
He specifically told the Senate that it was wrong for the sponsor of the bill , to propose establishment of ranches in the state of origin of pastoralists alone .
Also Senator Kawu in his own opposition to the bill, said it was totally against provisions of Nigeria Constitution.
Bashir M
