In a major step aimed at reducing tensions between herders and farming communities, the Council of Fulani Chiefs of South-West Nigeria has announced a total ban on night grazing, underage herding, and the use of dangerous weapons by cattle rearers in the region.
The Chairman of the Council and Sarki Fulani of Lagos, Mohammed Bambado II, made the declaration in a statement on Monday, saying the measures were designed to foster peace and prevent recurring clashes.
According to Bambado, the decision—reached unanimously by Fulani leaders—also discourages inter-state migration of herders, encouraging instead the adoption of modern grazing practices within host communities.
“The council unanimously affirms an absolute ban on night grazing, underage grazing, and herders carrying firearms or other weapons unrelated to their work. This will help restore sanity and strengthen peace in the sector,” the statement read in part.
For decades, South-West states have grappled with violent conflicts tied to open grazing, with farmlands destroyed, farmers attacked, and reports of kidnappings and killings linked to herders. In response, several states passed anti-open grazing laws.
Bambado, however, reminded the public that the Fulani community had coexisted peacefully with indigenous peoples in the South-West for over 200 years, stressing that the council was determined to preserve that harmony for future generations.
The resolutions also include collaboration with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission to enhance regional security, regulating herder movements across state borders, and conducting sensitisation campaigns to educate herders on sustainable livestock management.
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The council further called on the National Security Adviser and security agencies to identify and prosecute criminals, both within Fulani communities and among their local collaborators.
Bambado revealed that the Fulani community in Kwara State would now be integrated into the council’s fold to ensure joint security arrangements. He explained that insecurity in Kwara often spills into neighbouring South-West states due to their proximity.
On long-term peace and livestock development, the council plans to revive nomadic education centres, strengthen data collection on herders and their cattle, and embark on engagement tours across the region.
“Our goal is to promote global best practices in livestock production and ensure peaceful coexistence in line with the laws of the land,” Bambado said.
The move comes months after farmers in southern states reported relative respite from farm invasions and attacks, attributing the improvement to increased dialogue and a shift in government’s stance on herder violence.