By Muhammad Mamman
In a sweeping move to counter escalating violence across rural communities, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially banned open cattle grazing, declaring the practice an offence amid mounting insecurity.
Announced today by the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, the ban comes as part of a broader strategy to stem the deadly clashes between herders and farmers that have plagued the country in recent years.
During the inauguration of the first National Council on Livestock Development in Yola, Adamawa State, Minister Maiha castigated open grazing as a catalyst for violence and loss of life, urging herders to transition to ranching — a method he said is both safer and more commercially viable.
He added that open grazing is now “considered a capital offence” under the new directive, underscoring the government’s determination to eliminate it.
The newly established National Council, comprising livestock directors from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will oversee the implementation of policies aimed at modernising Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The government’s push is not just about security: the livestock ministry forecasts it will become the country’s second-largest revenue earner, after oil and gas, with projected returns of $74 billion over the next five years.
Advocates for the ban say the decision could help stem the tide of deadly herder-farmer violence, particularly in the Middle Belt, where competition over land and deteriorating grazing routes have fuelled bloodshed.
Still, analysts warn that banning open grazing is just one part of a complex solution: they say long-term peace will depend on effective ranching infrastructure, enforcement, and reconciliation between communities.
