Anti-open grazing law: Islamic scholar kicks, says rule of law must be considered

An Islamic Scholar, Sheik Usman Dahiru Bauchi, on Monday kicked against the Anti-open grazing law enacted by some state governments in the country, saying that rule of law should strictly be adhered to in the affairs of every government.

The Islamic Scholar stated this during a press conference in Bauchi while reacting to the recent hostilities between farmers and herdsmen in some parts of the country where lives and properties were lost.

Sheikh Bauchi expressed dismay that hostilities between farmers and herdsmen has degenerated to the level where several people have lost lives and rendered homeless, pointing out that there should be tolerance and mutual understanding between farmers and herdsmen residing in communities.

“If a person who is a resident of a community has livestock to take care of and does not have where to rear them, he should be advised to restrict the animals and buy feeds as well as provide water for them, instead of grazing near farmlands where the animals may encroach into people’s farms”.

“In case the person does not want to buy feeds and provide water for the cattle, he should be advised to relocate to another environment far from farmlands, and if the person refuses to comply with these options, communities should not take laws into their hands, but should resolve the matter by reporting to the relevant authorities”. He advised.

The Sheikh added that, “I am not saying this because I am a Fulani man, but because I want things to be done in an orderly manner where each and every citizen in the country will be given a fair hearing”.

While calling on the federal government to find a lasting solution between herdsmen and farmers in the country, the re-known scholar strongly condemned the killings of innocent persons that followed the recent clashes in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and Plateau states.

Dahiru while opining that herdsmen should be provided with grazing reserves to avoid continuous clashes between them and farmers added that the conflicting parties needed each other to succeed in businesses.

The Islamic scholar who recalled that farmers and herdsmen have been living together peacefully in past, accused mischievous persons for igniting hatred between them, advising the merchants of violence to desist from doing so for the socio- economic development of the country.

From Samuel Luka, Bauchi