Members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Oyo State chapter, took to the streets of Ibadan on Monday to protest what they described as the unlawful detention of their members and their continued exclusion from the state’s Rule of Law Enforcement Agency.
Led by the Serkin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Yakubu Bello, and the association’s liaison officer, Adam Abdukadir, the protesters accused the state government of marginalisation and unfair treatment of Fulani herders.
They argued that the state’s anti-grazing law is being weaponized to target their members without due process.
“Our members were arrested and remanded in prison without fair hearing. This is unjust,” said Alhaji Bello, decrying what he termed systemic bias in the enforcement of the Oyo State Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Law.
The law, enacted in 2019 to curb herder-farmer clashes and protect farmlands, prohibits open grazing and prescribes penalties including imprisonment for violators.
While acknowledging the importance of the law, MACBAN leaders insist that its implementation has been discriminatory.
“We are not against the law,” Abdukadir said. “But it must be enforced with fairness and justice. Our people want peace and are committed to living harmoniously with their host communities.”
The group further criticised their exclusion from the state’s security and law enforcement structure, noting that their participation would promote collaboration and reduce conflict.
“As stakeholders, we deserve representation on the enforcement committee,” Bello said. “We live and work in these rural communities. Our input is essential for lasting peace.”
MACBAN called on the state government, traditional leaders, and civil society groups to intervene and ensure that herders are treated equitably and included in peacebuilding processes.
“We are part of this society. We want to coexist peacefully, and our voice must be heard,” Bello stressed.
The protest adds to growing tensions over land use and livestock management in Oyo and other Nigerian states, where conflicts between farmers and herders have led to violence and displacement.
