RECONCILING THE ANTI GRAZING LAW OF BENUE STATE OF NIGERIA IN AN ERA OF RESOURCE DEPLETION

Abstract

The 2015 Global Terrorism Index ranked Nigeria fourth on the list of militant groups. This development was warrantedby incessant killings of farmers by herds men of Fulani extraction. The former Military Head of State in Nigeria, Abdul salami Abubakar at the forum organized by the Search for Common Ground, Nigeria, in collaboration with the institute for Peace and Sustainable Development stated that Nigeria loses not less than $13.7 billion annually as a result of farmers and herdsmen clashes in Benue, Kaduna, Nassarawa and Plateau States of Nigeria. The emergence of this challenge has been discussed from security, religious, political, ethnical, communal and economic perspectives. Dearth of grasses with which to feed herds has triggered issues which threaten the nation’s fragile peaceful co-existence. In November 2017, the Benue State government of Nigeria banned open grazing. The writer analyses the Benue State Anti-Grazing Law, ascertains the suitability of the law, compares global position on grazing and submits that an effective, timely and adequate address of the environmental issue occasioned by resource depletion will resolve the feud, especially with particular reference to Benue State of Nigeria.