Fulani cattle herdsmen leader says they will accept peace but anti-grazing laws need to be scrapped

FULANI cattle herdsmen leader Ahmed Yandeh  has declared that his members may be willing to lay down their arms and cooperate with state governments if grazing reserves are defined and anti-grazing laws are scrapped.

Nigeria is currently facing a grave security crisis due to the ongoing brutal attacks by Fulani cattle herdsmen in which they carry out murderous raids against farming villages. Recently, Benue State, which passed anti-grazing laws to address the issue, suffered one of the most horrific such attacks, resulting in the death of over 80, with herdsmen carry out the murder to protest the new regulations.

Since then, there have been attempts to find a solution to the crisis, with several state governors putting forward proposals that will restrict grazing to designated ranches. Ahmed Yandeh, the Sarkin Fulani Sabon Gari in Kaduna, who is also the caretaker committee chairman of the Mobgal Fulbe Development Association of Nigeria, said they are willing to talk peace but insisted that it is not illegal for Fulani people to move about with their cow as the constitution guarantees freedom of movement.

Alhaji Yandeh said: “For peace to reign and justice to prevail, the Fulani man must be seen as a citizen of Nigeria. The anti-grazing law should quickly be removed and grazing reserves should also be defined, especially those that are yet to be gazetted.

“We have over 500 grazing reserves in this country but only few are gazetted. This will see to it that Fulani people will live there, peacefully with their animals because Nigeria is not yet ripe for the anti-grazing law."

He added that even America, it took them more than 70 years to get to the point where they are today because land tenure is a very sensitive issue. According to Alhaji Yandeh, Nigeria's Fulanis are being painted black, especially because President Muhammadu Buhari is a Fulani man and opponents are trying to do everything to undermine his government

Alhaji Yandeh added: "The solution is a return to the drawing board, to look at what existed before, with a view to correcting the present situation. Also, cattle routes should be restructured and retrieved so that the Fulani man will know the direction to go about his business peacefully.

“I have heard that some state governors have said that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association if Nigeria (Macban) should be declared a terrorist group. Although I am not a member of the association, I am quite sure it is the oldest Fulani association in Nigeria and they have been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission unlike other socio-cultural associations."