Niger State Government has announced that any pastoralist entering the state without an official permit will henceforth be regarded as a rustler, as part of measures to strengthen security and regulate the movement of livestock.
The Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Ahmed Sanda Rabe, disclosed this on Tuesday during the New Niger Quarterly Media Briefing, a government performance and citizen engagement forum held at the ICT Centre in Minna.
Rabe said the new policy is aimed at profiling pastoralists entering the state and monitoring their activities, particularly in local government areas bordering neighbouring states.
According to him, the establishment of the Ministry of Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs on 23 August 2022 has enabled the government to gather comprehensive data on pastoralist communities operating across the state.
“Before the ministry was created, the government had no accurate data on pastoralists in Niger State. Today, with the political will of Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago, we have detailed information on their associations and leadership structures across the state,” he said.
The Commissioner revealed that the government plans to develop a comprehensive database within the next three years containing information on pastoralists, the number of livestock they own, and their locations.
He said the initiative would not only improve security but also enable the government to provide essential services such as potable water and other basic amenities to pastoral communities.
Rabe also disclosed that the state has introduced empowerment programmes targeting women and youths in pastoral settlements while pursuing strategies to address recurring disputes involving herders and farmers.
He, however, maintained that most of the recent conflicts recorded in the state were land-related disputes rather than herder-farmer clashes.
The commissioner further dismissed claims that Niger State harbours bandit camps, insisting that criminal elements merely infiltrate the state from neighbouring states.
“We do not have bandit camps in Niger State. Bandits only penetrate the state through neighbouring states. Security agencies have therefore been directed to profile every pastoralist entering the state to identify genuine herders,” he stated.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, attributed the recent influx of pastoralists to the worsening security situation in neighbouring states.
Elleman noted that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of movement, explaining that Niger State’s strategic location makes it a destination for people seeking safer environments.
He stressed that Fulani pastoralists are Nigerian citizens entitled to protection of their lives and property, adding that many relocate to continue their lawful livelihoods.
“As you are aware, everybody has the freedom to move from one location to another. Nobody can stop anybody from relocating to another location,” he said.
The police commissioner, however, assured residents that the command would continue to collaborate with the state government and other security agencies to profile incoming pastoralists and prevent criminal elements from exploiting the constitutional right to freedom of movement to undermine public safety.
(Guardian)
