Olusegun Adeyemo
The South-West Fulani Council has announced a sweeping ban on night grazing, underage herders, and the possession of firearms by herders, in a bid to curb insecurity and reduce clashes between farmers and pastoralists in the region.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Council and Sarki Fulani of Lagos, Alhaji Mohammed Bambado II, in a public statement outlining new strategies aimed at fostering peace and preserving the long-standing relationship between Fulani herders and their host communities in the South-West.
Bambado emphasized that the Fulani have coexisted peacefully with indigenous groups in the region for over 200 years, and that the Council is committed to safeguarding that legacy for future generations.
“The council unanimously affirms a total ban on night grazing, underage grazing, and the carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons by herders,” the statement read. “These measures are intended to promote peace and restore order in the sector.”
In light of the country’s current security challenges, Bambado said it was important to discourage inter-state migration of herders and promote sustainable, modern grazing methods within their existing communities.
Among the Council’s other resolutions are:
Collaboration with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission to enhance regional security;
Regulation of herder migration across states;
Launch of a sensitisation campaign to educate Fulani herders on improved grazing techniques and legal responsibilities.
Bambado also strongly condemned all forms of violence linked to herders, including banditry, kidnapping, and farmland destruction.
He urged security agencies and the office of the National Security Adviser to identify and prosecute criminal elements, both within the Fulani community and among local collaborators.
To ensure a broader and more unified approach to security, Bambado disclosed that the Council will now include Fulani communities in Kwara State.
“Kwara State must be part of this Council for a joint security solution,” he said. “Any insecurity in Kwara can easily spill into the South-West through border areas like Ekiti, Oyo, and even the Benin Republic.”
As part of broader peacebuilding and livestock development efforts, the Council plans to:
Launch a comprehensive education tour to promote global best practices in livestock management;
Revive nomadic education centres across Fulani settlements in the region;
Conduct a full data collection drive to document herders and their livestock for better oversight and management.
Bambado linked these positive developments to increased dialogue and a changing perception among herders, who now believe the government no longer tacitly supports criminal elements as it may have in the past.
The South-West has experienced years of violent clashes between farmers and herders due to open grazing. In response, several state governments have enacted anti-open grazing laws to reduce tensions and protect local farmlands.