The Nigerian government is putting together a legislation that would prohibit herdsmen from allowing their cattle graze in villages and cities, says the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh.
The prospective legislation is coming in the wake of the recent massacre of hundreds in Aguta, a farming community in Benue State.
The Minister said the federal government would no longer tolerate the killing and maiming of indigenes by herdsmen, while adding that most of the attackers were not of Nigerian descent.
Speaking on Thursday, Ogbeh said: “Yesterday, I spoke with the Ministers of Defence and Interior and they assured me that they have deployed a military formation in Enugu to move in and restore peace in Agatu. Today, I will also be speaking with Mr President about this issue to ensure that the problem is solved once and for all.”
The Minister also revealed that the government is working on a lasting solution that will curb the menace of herdsmen taking their cattle to graze on people’s farmlands.
“We are producing massive hectares of grasses for the consumption of cattle; we have received these grasses from Brazil and we are growing them in massive quantities. Cattle herdsmen want grasses for their cattle; such grass is what we are growing in large quantities and, within the next three months, some of these will be ready.”
“Most of these men are not Nigerians; they come in from places like Chad. Recently, I was in Berlin and I met the Minister of Agriculture from Congo, who complained to me that some Chadian herdsmen also invade some communities in Congo to commit similar havocs.”
“We are also sending a bill to the National Assembly to legislate that cattle should no longer roam in our cities and villages. We will equally raise the issue at the level of the African Union, to compel member-countries to take steps to prevent their herdsmen from grazing into neighbouring countries. It will be a major international crises if we do not stop it now.”
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