In recent times, open grazing of cattle has raised security conflicts between host communities, farmers on one hand, and the migrant herders, leading to several deaths in the many states of Nigeria.
The destructive activities of some herders especially criminal acts of armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder have tended to raise ethnic and tribal disharmony, resulting in socio-economic dislocations and political tensions.
But a meeting of regional leaders in the Southern States had agreed to ban open grazing of cattle as a response to ending the violent conflicts.
Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, is among the Southern Governors who attended the regional meeting where Governors from the Southern part of the country resolved to end the practice of open grazing of cattle in their areas.
The meeting agreed to take legal steps to address the menace through individual member States legislating against the activities of herders who openly graze their cattle.
About two years ago, the Abia State government had set up what it called the Farmers/Herders conflict resolution committee to put an end to clashes among the groups.
And now, in line with the agreement reached by the southern region Governors, the Abia State House of Assembly has passed an Anti-Open Grazing Bill and assented into law by Governor Ikpeazu.
So far, the new law appears not to be solving the problem it is meant to address.
Some farmers observed that enforcement of the anti-open grazing law is the challenge as cattle are still destroying farm crops in the state, shifting responsibilities to security operatives.
A member of the farmer/herders Conflict Resolution Committee and leader of the Hausa community in Abia State, Sarki Yaro Danladi, insisted that there is a cordial relationship between the committee, the government, and the police.
For him, the new law prohibiting open grazing of cattle is a welcome development as such will end the increasing rate of clashes between farmers and herders.
Security watchers believe that when the relevant authorities in Abia State fully implement the anti-open grazing law, violent crimes and crises associated with farmers/herders clashes will be a thing of the past.
