In a dramatic demonstration of discontent, the Oyo State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) took to the streets of Ibadan on Monday to protest what they described as the unlawful detention of their members and systemic marginalisation within the state’s security architecture.
Led by the Serkin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Yakubu Bello, and the association’s liaison officer, Adam Abdukadir, the aggrieved cattle breeders voiced deep frustration over the continued exclusion of Fulani herders from the state’s Rule of Law Enforcement Agency and the alleged abuse of the anti-open grazing law.
Speaking passionately to the press, Alhaji Bello lamented the plight of several Fulani herdsmen who, according to him, were arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned under the Oyo State Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Law.
“Our members are being punished for crimes they did not commit. They were arrested without proper investigation, without fair hearing, and thrown behind bars as if their lives do not matter,” Bello declared.
“The Rule of Law Enforcement Agency, which should serve justice impartially, has instead become a tool for discrimination and oppression against our people.”
The protest comes amid mounting controversy over the enforcement of the state’s anti-grazing law, enacted in 2019 to reduce farmer-herder clashes, protect farmlands, and restore peace to rural communities. While the law prohibits open grazing and promotes ranching, MACBAN claims its implementation has been hijacked to victimise Fulani herders indiscriminately.
“We are not enemies of the law,” said Abdukadir. “But any law, no matter how well-intentioned, must be enforced with equity and fairness. Our members are peace-loving citizens who want nothing more than to live in harmony with their neighbours.”
The association also condemned their exclusion from key security decision-making platforms in the state, asserting that their presence would bridge communication gaps, build trust, and prevent further violence.
“As critical stakeholders, we must be part of the solution,” Bello urged. “Our insight and cultural understanding are indispensable, especially in rural areas where tensions often erupt. Excluding us only deepens mistrust and widens the divide.”
Calling for urgent intervention, MACBAN appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde, traditional rulers, and civil society groups to address their grievances and champion inclusiveness.
“We want peaceful coexistence. We are Nigerians too. Our voice deserves to be heard,” Bello added emphatically.
Oyo’s anti-grazing law, passed in 2019, imposes strict penalties—including hefty fines and imprisonment—on those found guilty of open grazing. While widely supported by farmers and agrarian communities, its implementation has triggered fierce resistance from pastoralist groups who view it as punitive and lopsided.
Tensions between farmers and herders have long plagued Nigeria’s middle-belt and southwestern regions, often igniting deadly clashes over land use, grazing routes, and crop destruction. As the debate over grazing laws and pastoral rights intensifies, stakeholders agree on one point: without inclusive dialogue and justice for all, sustainable peace will remain elusive.
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