In a bold step to restore order in the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, has engaged the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and its factions in a decisive move to outlaw cattle roaming within Abuja’s city centre.
The high-stakes meeting, held on September 17 at the FCT Police Command Headquarters in Garki II, brought together three influential blocs of the association – Miyetti Allah MACBAN, Miyetti Allah Kautahuri, and Miyetti Allah Falako Yesu-Yesu.
A police statement on Thursday revealed that CP Adewale expressed deep concern over the repeated link between herders and violent communal conflicts in the FCT. He warned that the era of unchecked cattle movement disrupting traffic, peace, and security in the federal capital was coming to an end.
> “The practice of open grazing within the capital city must stop. We will not tolerate any activity that threatens peace and security,” Adewale declared.
In a rare gesture of cooperation, Miyetti Allah leaders praised the dialogue as historic, noting it was the first time they had engaged directly with an FCT Police Commissioner. They pledged to abide by the resolutions reached and to provide feedback within a week.
The police command further assured that it would monitor compliance, mediate grazing land disputes, and strengthen community policing frameworks to prevent future clashes.
Despite repeated government bans on open grazing, cattle are still commonly seen straying across highways, residential estates, and public spaces in Abuja, often sparking confrontations and heightening insecurity. Civil society groups have long accused security agencies of shielding powerful herders’ associations from enforcement of existing laws.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has also waded into the matter. On September 12, President Bola Tinubu’s administration opened fresh talks with MACBAN leadership in a dialogue convened by the Sultan of Sokoto and MACBAN Board of Trustees Chairman, Sa’ad Abubakar, alongside the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha.
Idris Abiola-Ajimobi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Livestock Development, disclosed that the talks focused on finding lasting solutions to pastoralist challenges, with emphasis on phasing out open grazing.
> “The sight of cattle roaming the streets of Abuja must become history. We are working on ranching projects, grazing reserves, and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones to tackle the root causes of this problem,” Ajimobi explained.
With the police and presidency now aligned on stamping out open grazing, Abuja may be edging closer to an end of an age-long controversy that has fuelled ethnic tensions, security concerns, and violent clashes across the capital.
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