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Chinwendu Nnadozie
As part of measures to check insecurity and to regulate movements of livestock, Niger state government has made it mandatory for pastoralist/herders entering the state to henceforth obtain official permit from the state government or risk being regarded as cattle rustler.
Niger State Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Ahmed Sanda Rabe disclosed this during media briefing tagged, “New Niger Quarterly Media briefing on Government Performance and Citizens Engagement Forum”, adding that efforts are being made to end years of security challenges that have denied farmers access to their farms leading food crisis in parts of the state
At the media briefing which featured other Commissioners, heads of government boards and agencies which took place at the ICT Centre, Minna, Rabe said the policy was introduced to enable the state government monitor pastoralists and people hiding under the name of being pastoralists while they have ulterior motives entering the state and as well keep track of their activities, particularly around Local Government Areas (LGAs) bordering neighbouring states.
Before the establishment of the Ministry of Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs on August 23, 2022, Rabe said the state government had no accurate data on the exact number of pastoralists operating in parts of Niger state and that according to him accounted for why issues of insecurity has continued unabated.
“With the political will of Governor Umaru Bago, we now have comprehensive data on the leadership of pastoralist groups operating in Niger state. We know them by names of associations they belongs to and their respective chairmen in various localities”.
The state government, Rabe further explained has plans to establish a comprehensive database within the next three years containing details of all the pastoralists, the number of livestock they own and their locations.
The essense of profiling herders is to also grant them sense of belonging, explaining further that, “Once we have this information, we will be able to identify where they are and provide them with essential social amenities such as potable water and other basic services”.
The government have also introduced support programmes for women and youths in pastoral/herders communities and was developing other strategies that will address recurring conflicts between them and rural farmers.
Adding to the briefing, Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, represented by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu A. Abiodun, attributed influx of pastoralists into the state to security issues in some neighbouring states.
Elleman who however explained that Nigerian Constitution guarantees citizen’s right to freedom of movements said Niger state’s proximity to several neighbouring states with recurring security breaches caused the influx.
Though not all Fulani pastoralists or herders are citizens of Nigeria who are as well entitled to protection of their lives and properties, the Police Commissioner said law abiding citizens among them have continued migrating to safer spaces to continue their legitimate livelihoods.
He assured that the police would be working with relevant state government agencies and other security agencies to profile pastoralists moving into Niger state to ensure that persons with criminal intents do not exploit lapses in Nigeria’s constitutional rights to freedom of movement to threaten public safety in parts of the state.
