Bayelsa Assembly legislates on bill restricting open grazing by herdsmen

Several states in southern Nigeria are beginning to find internal means of containing the violent upsurge of killer herdsmen in the respective states. The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has endorsed an executive bill presented to the House for legislation towards regulating livestock, rearing, grazing, and cattle marketing in the state. The state government intends to adopt the bill in containing the confrontations between nomadic herdsmen and native farmers.

The bill specifically seeks to outlaw arms carrying by anyone under the guise of protecting livestock, including stipulating punishment for offenders of livestock rustling.

It was indicated that “an executive bill now receiving an accelerated hearing on the floor of the House is seeking the establishment of a special committee that will regulate all aspects of livestock breeding, marketing, issuance of permits, and sanction the defaulters of open grazing.”

The bill was said to have passed second reading in the House.

The lawmakers had declared that the passage of the bill was not targeted at any particular ethnic group, insisting that the bill is to protect lives and property in the State.

The state was troubled by a recent attack on two local farmers by herdsmen at Otuoke, Ogbia Council Area.