Fayose’s anti-grazing Law

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has signed the anti-grazing bill into law, warning that any herdsman caught with arms or dangerous weapons in the state would be charged with terrorism and be made to face the law.

The law titled “Prohibition of Cattle and Other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti, 2016,” provides that:  

1. Grazing activities must be from 7am to 6pm on a daily basis

    

2. Any herdsman caught with firearms or any weapons whatsoever during grazing shall be charged with terrorism

    

3. Any farm products destroyed by the activities of any caught herdsman shall be estimated by agricultural officer and the expenses shall be borne by the culprit.

Herdsmen resident in Ekiti state under the aegis of Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria have however criticized the law. They argue that lesser weapons such as machetes, daggers, knives, swords, bows and arrows and catapults should not be included in the law since these are the traditional article of trade of herdsmen.

Jamu Nate Fulbe Association, speaking through their lawyer Umar Imam also argued that the law of the federation on terrorism provides that no one can be charged for terrorism for carrying lesser arms like cutlasses, catapults and knives. The body is therefore urging Governor Fayose to amend the law since it contradicted the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.

Now, politics aside. I am not a great fan of Governor Fayose, but on this issue I give him full marks. Something has to be done to regulate the movement and activities of herdsmen. I mean, we are in the 21st Century and cattle should not be seen moving about in towns and cities.

If herdsmen were carrying on their activities without visiting violence on their host communities, perhaps this law would never have come up. This law became necessary the moment herdsmen began to attack communities, killing innocent citizens and ravaging crops. If the herdsmen are not comfortable with it, they should go to court and let the lawyers sort it out.

I give kudos to Governor Fayose for coming up with this law. Other state governors should follow suit instead of waiting on President Buhari to act any time herdsmen have issues with their host communities. If there are no adequate laws to check the criminal activities of herdsmen, state governors should be proactive and come up with one as Fayose has done. They should stop waiting for Buhari to fly down from Abuja to regulate the activities of herdsmen in their states.

This is as I see it

Now here is something to ponder: 

One, the word “weapons” is not clearly defined in the law. I think it is necessary for a definition to be made

Two, if possession of cutlass by herdsmen, for instance, is outlawed, then this should also be extended to farmers and armed robbers so as not to make the law discriminatory. If a farmer has disagreement with someone and he deploys his cutlass in the roforofo, then he too should be charged for terrorism in line with the spirit and letter of the law.

Similarly, if two communities have dispute over land, for instance, and cutlass was used in a fight, they too should be charged for terrorism in line with the law. The use of cutlass should not be considered an act of terrorism only because a herdsmen is involved.

Much as this law is a welcome development, I suggest Ekiti State House of Assembly should look further into it with a view to fine-tuning it.

What do you think?