Anti-Open Grazing law: Afenifere warns FG not to frustrate enforcement
Modupe Shodeinde
The pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Monday, has warned the Federal Government not to interfere the effective enforcement of the law set against open grazing.
This is ahead of the September 1 deadline set by the Southern Governors’ Forum on open grazing.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere stated that the Federal Government might be tempted to use its might to frustrate the efforts of states governors by using the police and other security agencies to undermine the enforcement of the law.
He, however, warned that doing so might compound the already bad security situation in the country.
The Southern’ Governors’Forum at their meeting in Lagos on July 5, 2021, announced that open grazing of cattle would no longer be allowed in their respective states from September 1, 2021.
Afenifere regrettably noted that the law being sucessfully enforced are slim due to the lopsided nature of the country’s policing system.
“In Nigeria today, only the Nigerian Police can investigate and prosecute a suspect in a criminal case. Since the police is under the firm control of the Federal Government, it is possible to use the agency to frustrate the efforts of the states in this respect. For, as reality in Nigeria has repeatedly shown, the problem, most of the time, is not just in having a legal instrument in place but in enforcing the laws.
“Enforcement of the law against open grazing is made more difficult when the interest of the powerful is at stake – as is the case on this issue of open grazing of cattle. The disposition of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari is opposed to the declaration by the Southern Governors. Therein lies the challenges of how the law can be successfully made to work as envisaged.
“It is worth recalling, however, that when some states in the north banned the selling and drinking of alcohol in public, they did not rely on the federally controlled Nigeria Police to enforce the law in their respective states. Rather, they set up what they called Hisbah (local police) to enforce the law. In this wise, it may not be out of place if the states concerned in the South also explore the means of ensuring the compliance of the laws they passed on grazing of cattle.
Incidentally, some states already have an instrument they could use for that purpose. By this, one is referring to Amotekun in the South West and Ebube Agu in the South East. These local security networks should be allowed to enforce state laws particularly the one on open grazing.
“Afterall, the law against the selling and open consumption of alcohol is being enforced by Hisbah in the North. What is good for goose should be good for the gander.” the statement read.
