Benue anti-grazing law: Our cows are becoming thinner – Cattle breeders

Cattle traders cross the river to get grass

Mohammed Abdullahi, 37, a herder, said the anti-open grazing law is affecting them greatly. “We now hire a boat to cross over to the other side of River Benue and cut grasses to feed our cows. The situation is not pleasant.”

Besides, hiring the boat for N1, 500 per trip, the young man and his other colleagues who rear cattle at the back of Psychiatric hospital in Wadata water front of Makurdi metropolis in Benue State said that they now buy grasses and rice chaff to feed their animals.

Abdullahi is an indigene of Nasarawa State who was born in Benue State and has been in the business of cattle rearing for trading purposes for over 27 years.

He explained: “We didn’t even know about the law until November 1 2017 when we took our cattle out as usual but were intercepted by vigilante who asked us to take them back to the pen. Between that time and now, I have spent so much money on buying feeds for my flock.

“I buy rice chaff of N4, 000 daily to feed at least seven cows and if multiplied by the numbers of all my cattle, you will pity me. Then I buy 35 bundles of grass daily for the cattle at the cost of N200 each, meaning that I spend N7, 000 daily buying grasses for my cows. In just a few days, I have spent over N46, 000 for grasses and chaff alone.

Abdullahi worried over the high cost of feeds as he noted that before the law came into effect, the rice chaff was freely obtained from many rice mills located in Wadata suburbs of Makurdi metropolis. He said cattle business can no longer be profitable with the daily expenses and that he is now contemplating selling them off just as.

Another cattle rearer, Abubakar Hassan lamented that the grazing law is taking a toll on them since its enforcement began as rice millers now take advantage of the development to sell chaff to them at N500 per bag.

“They used to beg us before now to take the chaff for free. The chaff used to constitute waste at the mills, but now they are selling a small bag for N500,” Hassan narrated. He urged the state government to take a second look at the law with the sole aim of amending it to accommodate their interests by allowing them some space to graze because they are also tax payers.

Hassan said there are other areas where cost has risen tremendously in the past one week, stressing that they (Wadata cattle rearers) were however lucky to have their pens situated at the bank of the river Benue from where the animals drink freely.

Similarly, Enenche Adikwu, also a cattle breeder and trader at Wadata, complained bitterly that the challenge in the past few days since the law came into effect had been daunting, though he appreciated the good intention of the government in trying to put an end to herders and farmers conflicts.

Adikwu, an Idoma, said: “I rear cattle and sell them. I have at least 20 cattle now and since the law came into effect, I buy grasses from across the river to feed them. That’s not just enough, the cows are getting thinner because they lack food. We are begging government to come to our aid, the stress is too much.”

Despite some of the cattle breeders associations’ (including Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore) current grumbling over the matter, the state government has averred that the law would stand in the interest of the majority to protect lives and property.

The law became effective on November 1, 2017 after its enactment by the State House of Assembly and subsequent accentuation by Governor Samuel Ortom in May, this year.

Ortom said: “No individual or group is above the law of the land. The anti-open grazing law initiated by the Benue State government has been hailed by both local and international peace stakeholders as the best solution to the frequent crisis between herdsmen and farmers. We wish to make it abundantly clear to Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore that the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches Law has come to stay and no amount of intimidation or name calling can stop its implementation.”

Meanwhile, the Benue State House of Assembly in what it described as “growing threats and possible invasion of Benue communities by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore,” has resolved to draw the attention of the United Nations and the International Community to the “holocaust” it alleged was about to be visited on the state by the group. The House appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently rise in defence of the people of the state from the eminent threat of attack by the group.

Speaker of the House, Terkimbi Ikyange who announced the law makers’ resolution after a debate on a substantive motion moved by the Majority Leader, Barr. Benjamin Adanyi (who drew the attention of his colleagues to the public threats by the group to invade the state if the open grazing prohibition law comes into effect) also called on security operatives in the country to immediately effect the arrest of the leadership of the group, particularly its National President, Alhaji Abdullahi Bodejo and Secretary, Alhaji Saleh Alhassan for threatening to invade the state.

The House resolved to draw the attention of the two chambers of the National Assembly, as well as send a distress call to the Houses of Assembly of neighbouring states to intimate them on the carnage that members of the group had allegedly visited upon the state in recent times and their reckless utterances in the present circumstances.

The lawmakers however insisted that the law has come to stay for the good of everybody resident in Benue, the ‘food basket of the nation.’