Herdsmen Protest Against Anti-Grazing Bill At Taraba State House Of Assembly

About 2,000 herdsmen and their affiliates stormed the Taraba State House of Assembly in protest against the proposed anti-open grazing bill in the state.
The protesters converged on Jalingo, the Taraba state
capital, and embarked on a procession through major
streets before arriving at the State House of Assembly.
Bearing placards with different inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs in Hausa, they expressed their rejection of the proposed bill.
Security operatives were at the entrance of the
Assembly to avert a breakdown of law and order and to prevent the protesters from advancing beyond their bounds.
Despite their presence, the protesters were relentless in their bid to make their grievances heard and pushed against some of the security personnel.
It took the intervention of the leaders of Miyetti Allah
Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria to bring the
situation under control.
The Chairman of the Association in the state, Alhaji
Sahabi Mahmud, told the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Abel Peter, and some principal officers who came out to listen to the protesters that the proposed bill is
unconstitutional and aimed at depriving them of their
livelihood.
Responding to their request, the Speaker said there is
the need for the state government to encourage
ranching in Taraba State.
The Speaker later told journalists that the laws of the
state is not for any particular group and urged people to take time and study the bill.
According to the Speaker, the right place for the
protesters to table their complaint is at the public
hearing and not the House.

The Prohibition of Open Grazing Bill and the
Establishment of Ranches in Taraba State 2017 is an
executive bill which has passed second reading and is
due for public hearing.
The Speaker explained that the bill is aimed at
preventing clashes between herdsmen which would be beneficial to the state.
He allayed the fears of the protesters that the bill is
aimed at depriving herders of their livelihood, saying
instead it is meant to improve the lives of livestock and herders.
According to the speaker, when passed and signed into law, the bill will checkmate the activities of criminals hiding under the guise of grazing to perpetrate all forms of crime.
He explained that the bill will not stop herdsmen from
coming into the state but it will require herdsmen in the state to obtain permits.
Ekiti and Benue are the only two states in the country
that have so far passed anti-open grazing bills and
signed them into law.

There have been series of protests around some states,as well as in Asaba last month by a coalition made up of the Anioma Security Watch, Delta South Security Network and Urhobo Security Network
 over the “government failing in its primary responsibility of
protecting lives by allowing herdsmen to kill innocent and law-abiding citizens.
They claimed that they were protesting because of the illegal activities of Fulani herdsmen across various communities in the state as well as the seeming failure of the state government to take decisive action on the matter.