News
Herders adamant, Southern govs fail to enforce anti-open grazing law
Despite the resolve of the governors of the 17 states in southern Nigeria to ban open grazing of cattle and other animals in their states due to escalating attacks on farmers and other residents by suspected herdsmen, the states appear to have developed cold feet in implementing laws passed and assented to for that purpose.
The governors, who met in Asaba, Delta State, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, said the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits into the southern part of the country had presented a severe security challenge such that citizens were no longer able to live their normal lives.
“We resolve that open grazing of cattle be banned across Southern Nigeria; noted that development and population growth has put pressure on available land and increased the prospects of conflict between migrating herders and local populations in the South. Given this scenario, it becomes imperative to enforce the ban on open grazing in the South (including cattle movement to the South by foot),” the governors stated in a communiqué at the end of the meeting.
The 12-point communiqué was read by the Chairman of the forum and Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
The southern governors set a deadline for their respective state Houses of Assembly to pass anti-open grazing law to give effect to the ban.
In February 2021, Ondo State announced the ban on open grazing, while Ogun State announced plans to pass the anti-open grazing law. Open grazing has also been banned in Oyo State.
The six South-East governors announced the ban of open grazing and urged security agencies to enforce it in the states during the launch of the Ebubeagu security outfit last April.
However, the implementation of the ban appears to become very challenging. While some of the states have yet to pass the anti-open grazing law, those who have passed the law seem disinterested in enforcing it.
Edo Assembly passes anti-open grazing bill
For instance, the Edo State House of Assembly only passed the bill for a law to prohibit open grazing of cattle and regulate other livestock in the state on Wednesday.
The motion to dissolve the House into a committee of the whole was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Roland Asoro, and seconded by the member representing Esan North East 1, Francis Okiye.
Considering the bill clause by clause at the committee of the whole, the lawmakers passed relevant sections with amendments to sections 5(7) and 5(8).
The amendment to section 5 (7) states that a ranch committee to be constituted by the governor shall determine the size of the land suitable for ranching in conjunction with the community where the ranch is proposed.
Section 5 (8) was also amended to read that the committee shall control the activities of cattle herdsmen within the various communities.
Section eight, however, prohibits open grazing in the state.
Section 9(1) of the bill empowered the state governor to designate a land for ranching.
Section 9(2) stated that an owner of a piece of land shall apply to the committee in writing of his intention to operate a ranch with his land.
The Speaker, Marcus Onobun, thereafter directed the clerk, Yahaya Omogbai, to give the bill its third reading and forward clean copies to the governor for his assent.
Meanwhile, the House has received copies of the constitution alteration bills, Fifth Alteration Bill, 2022 for consideration.
Absence of monitoring task force stalls enforcement in Delta
The Delta State Government has said it is still sensitising relevant stakeholders ahead of the full implementation of the law that bans the open grazing of animals in the state.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had signed the anti-open grazing bill into law on September 30, 2021, and inaugurated the Delta Livestock Management Committee in January 2022 with a mandate to carry out sensitisation for three months.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olise Ifejika, said Okowa had set up the committee to enforce the ban on opening grazing.
“Governor Okowa has set up the committee and it is left for the committee to enforce the law. Beyond the committee, the police and other security agents, who are members of the committee, will be in a better position to know more about the enforcement,” he said.
But, the immediate past Commissioner for Agriculture /Natural Resources and Chairman, Delta Livestock Management Committee, Mr Julius Egbedi, said the committee was in the process of inaugurating a monitoring task force.
“We have not made any arrest; we are in the process of inaugurating a monitoring task force that will be combing the bush.”
The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ali, had stated when the committee visited him that the biggest task was the enforcement of the law, noting that the police could not do it alone.
The Ogun State Government has said it will commence the implementation of the anti-open grazing law in April.
Governor Dapo Abiodun had last year September assented to the bill after the state House of Assembly passed it.
The governor had announced six months’ grace period, which will expire at the end of March for herders to stop open grazing in any part of the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Communications, Remmy Hazzan, said this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday while explaining why the government had yet to enforce the law.
He said the government would wait till when the grace period would lapse to begin the enforcement of the law.
Hassan stated, “We are supposed to start by March; the governor said six months’ grace would be given.
“So, it will start by April. The grace period will lapse at the end of March, so enforcement will begin in April and I am sure that Amotekun and the police are working out the formula to use.”
He added that the government would adopt a persuasive method and not rely on confrontation to enforce the law.
Hassan added, “There is going to be more of moral suasion and not necessarily face-to-face confrontation, because at the end of the day, whether we like it or not, these are people who are resident in Ogun State.
“So, we will be wise with it; it (grace period) ends by March ending, enforcement should start in April.”
C’River anti-grazing law new, says Ayade’s aide
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Christian Ita, said the governor had just signed the anti-grazing bill into law and agencies have to study the law for proper enforcement.
“Is it up to two weeks after Ayade signed the Anti-Grazing Law? Agencies have to study the law. The law allows only trucks to move livestock within the state. It prohibits open grazing which causes farmers/herders’ clashes. Of course there are penalties for those who flout it,” he said.
We’ll do more to enforce law – Ekiti commissioner
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Akin Omole, has said that the state will do more in the enforcement of its law which banned open grazing.
Omole, who said the anti-open grazing law was being enforced in the state at present, said, “The law is in place and we are carrying out the implementation. If it is not fully implemented, it is not that the law does not exist.
“In Ekiti, there is no difficulty in implementing the law. The police and some other agencies of government are really in charge of the implementation. The government has taken the right step by ensuring there is a law against it, so, if those people in charge of law enforcement are not doing enough, it is not about the government.
“We are implementing it; you can always point our attention to areas we can do more and we will be glad to receive counsel, but the law is in place. We will do more in implementing it and in enforcing it; do not think the law is just for the shelves, we are on it.”
‘Herders, farmers’ clashes have reduced in Abia’
In Abia State, the incidence of farmers and herders’ clashes has been reduced due to the proactive nature of the state government and the state House of Assembly in passing the anti-open grazing law.
According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Ikechi Mgboji, the state government is not finding it difficult enforcing the law as the relation between it and herders has become cordial as the latter have restricted open grazing activities in accordance with the law.
Mgboji stated, “The law has been passed but it has to do with the mechanism of implementation. It is not what the police regularly do.
“Of course, the other problem associated with the arrest of the herders is that arrests are done by the police and when arrested, the herders will be detained, but then, how will the animals be detained?
“If you watch carefully, the activities of herdsmen have drastically reduced in the state.”
PUNCH
The Director of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, has said the swift mobilisation of emergency resources by Governor Peter Mbah led to the rescue of five occupants trapped in a collapsed building in Enugu metropolis.
The uncompleted four-storey building, located along Ogbaru Street, by Alvan Ikokwu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday.
Ohaa told newsmen on Sunday that all five occupants of the building, as confirmed by the security guard on duty, were successfully rescued.
Ohaa
He said four of the occupants were rescued alive and conscious, although they sustained injuries, while the fifth person was rescued unconscious.
Ohaa commended Governor Mbah for his swift mobilisation of emergency response agencies, including the Red Cross, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Ambulance Services, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Other agencies and organisations at the scene included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA) and a Chinese construction company, which provided four heavy-duty cranes.
According to Ohaa, the governor alerted him about the incident early Sunday morning, prompting the immediate mobilisation of officers of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service to the scene with extrication equipment.
“His Excellency, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, must be commended for also mobilising adequate rescue equipment such as heavy-duty cranes, bulldozers and excavators, which ensured the rescue of the five persons,” he said.
Ohaa explained that rescue officers initially relied on information from the security guard to determine how many people were trapped in the building.
“As rescue officers, what we did was to ask the security man how many people were here. He said there were supposed to be six. One person had left before it happened.
“So, we were able at that initial time to rescue four persons. Out of the four, two sustained minor injuries and they were all rushed to a health facility for proper checks,” he said.
The Chief Fire and Rescue Officer said the fifth person was eventually recovered unconscious and taken to a health facility by the Enugu State Ambulance Services.
The NEMA Information Officer in Enugu, Mr Nnanyelugo Ezeani, also confirmed that five people were rescued.
He said the situation could have been worse because the state government had earlier sealed the construction site.
“One person among the six residing in the collapsed building was not on the site at the time of the incident, while five others were rescued and taken to the hospital,” Ezeani said.
Speaking on the incident, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA), Mr Uche Anya, described the developer as one of those who failed to comply with building regulations.
Anya said the ECTDA had earlier taken regulatory action by sealing the site, which was originally approved in 2021.
“This property was approved in 2021 before the advent of this administration. But usually, we have a habit of stocktaking and checking on every construction at every stage.
“When I personally led the team that inspected here, we found out that there were serious integrity issues and non-compliance with their 2021 approval.
“I personally issued the first ‘stop-work order,’ which, due to the violation, resulted in our sealing the place over the last six months outrightly.
“So, I think within the last 30 to 40 days, the representative of the owner, whom they say lives abroad, has been interfacing with us to remedy the situation. This is the process that we are still trying to interface on, and it came down.”
Anya added that he had handed the owner’s representative over to the police to assist with the investigation.
“This is really a very unfortunate situation,” he said.
A four-storey building under construction in Enugu has collapsed, killing at least one person and trapping several construction workers beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning at the uncompleted structure, reportedly being developed as a hotel, causing panic among residents and passersby.
According to authorities, six workers were believed to have been sleeping inside the building when it collapsed. Four workers have so far been rescued, while the body of one victim has been recovered.
Authorities said one of the six workers reportedly left the site shortly before the collapse, raising hopes that fewer people may be trapped beneath the debris than initially feared.
The rescued workers were taken to the Enugu State Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the police, are participating in the rescue operation.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been established, while rescue efforts continue at the scene.
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the financial activities and source of wealth of socialite and businessman, Paschal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest.
Ogah, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, made the call on Thursday at a press conference in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The lawmaker said the businessman’s financial dealings should be subjected to scrutiny regardless of his public profile.
“I am urging the EFCC to thoroughly investigate him, investigate his bank accounts, investigate all the things he does,” Ogah said.
He also accused Cubana Chief Priest of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s political fortunes in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogah questioned the socialite’s claim to political influence in Ebonyi State and challenged him to make his membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC) public.
The lawmaker further criticised recent comments attributed to Cubana Chief Priest on social media in which he reportedly called for the resignation of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru.
Ogah demanded that the comments be withdrawn and followed by an apology, warning that legal action could be taken if the businessman failed to comply.
“Who is Cubana Chief Priest? What is his address that gives him the impetus to speak against our governor, the most performing governor in Nigeria?” he asked.
According to Ogah, Cubana Chief Priest had no electoral mandate to speak on behalf of Ebonyi State or demand the resignation of its elected governor.
He also questioned the businessman’s political influence, noting that he had previously contested an election in Imo State but failed to secure the party’s primary ticket.
Ogah alleges plot against Nwifuru
The lawmaker further alleged that unnamed political actors were sponsoring campaigns aimed at discrediting the Nwifuru administration and weakening the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
He defended the state’s security architecture, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Hope Okafor, against what he described as an orchestrated campaign for her removal.
Ogah urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to investigate those behind the alleged campaign and determine whether any law had been breached.
“All of us can attest to the peace and security we enjoy in Ebonyi State. The Army, the police, the Civil Defence and the DSS are doing marvellously well in Ebonyi State,” he said.
Lawmaker accuses Otu of mobilising protesters
Ogah also accused another critic of the state government, Charles Otu, of allegedly mobilising people from outside Ebonyi State to participate in a protest against the government in Abuja.
He claimed that some of those involved were presented as Ebonyians despite allegedly coming from other states.
Ogah said his lawyers had previously petitioned the DSS over allegations involving Otu and urged the agency to investigate the matter.
He also challenged Otu to substantiate allegations he allegedly made against him during an appearance on Arise Television.
“My own is that whosoever defaults the law, we take it legally. I cannot mention who I have not known. But when we get there, it is for the security agencies to investigate,” Ogah said.
Ogah lists Nwifuru’s achievements
Defending the Nwifuru administration, Ogah cited the state government’s scholarship programmes, school construction, road projects and other development initiatives as evidence of the governor’s performance.
He said hundreds of Ebonyi indigenes had benefited from postgraduate scholarships in Nigeria and abroad, while roads and schools were being constructed across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Ogah also praised Nwifuru for what he described as political tolerance, saying opposition parties had been allowed to operate freely in the state.
He argued that the people of Ebonyi should determine their political leadership through the ballot rather than through media campaigns and protests.
“Ebonyi people will choose who is their leader. They should stop using the media to castigate the governor,” he said.
Questions Nwifuru’s omission from Tinubu campaign council
The lawmaker also questioned the reported omission of Governor Nwifuru from President Tinubu’s campaign council, describing it as an error that should be corrected.
“How can a governor that has done much in APC not be included in the campaign council? How can a governor that is elected under the APC not be included?” Ogah queried.
He maintained that Nwifuru’s political influence and the APC’s electoral performance in Ebonyi made him an important stakeholder in Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Ogah warned political actors against using the media to destabilise the state and urged all parties to pursue their grievances through legal and democratic channels.
The lawmaker, who is also the Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), was accompanied by other members of the group at the press conference.
He reiterated his call for security agencies to investigate the various allegations raised and take appropriate action against anyone found to have violated the law.
The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged youths in Enugu State to disregard the belief that federal government jobs and other opportunities are already allocated before they are advertised.
FCC Executive Chairman, Hulayât Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, during the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026.
Omidiran urged the youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and actively pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that federal character should promote both equity and merit.
She also warned against fraudulent recruitment schemes and advised applicants to authenticate employment opportunities before applying.
The Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, challenged young people to prepare themselves for available opportunities.
Onyia said government could create opportunities, but individuals must develop the capacity to take advantage of them.
The FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the programme was designed to bridge the information gap preventing young people from accessing federal employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships and training opportunities.
Eze said many youths were discouraged from applying for federal jobs because of the misconception that such positions had already been shared among influential individuals.
He urged them to apply whenever legitimate opportunities were advertised, warning that nobody should pay money to secure a federal government job.
He also disclosed that five participants in the programme would be selected for a full scholarship opportunity.
Eze said the initiative would continue as a platform for connecting Enugu youths with credible opportunities and urged participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information with others.
The event brought together youths and stakeholders from across Enugu State to discuss federal representation, employment, education, skills development and other opportunities.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has fixed Sunday, September 13, 2026, for its annual New Yam Festival.
The cultural celebration, which is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., is being organised under the leadership of the Executive Chairman of Umuchigbo, Hon. Chief Afam Joseph Ogbene, popularly known as Akirika Chioku 1, Na Nike Kingdom.
The festival is expected to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Umuchigbo and Umuenwene in Iji Nike Autonomous Community, while promoting unity and communal bonding.
Ogbene, in an invitation to the festival, described the celebration as an opportunity for the people to preserve their cultural heritage, strengthen community ties and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
He said, “Our New Yam Festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is a time for us to come together as one people, appreciate our heritage and give thanks for the blessings of the year.”
According to him, the event will also provide an opportunity for sons and daughters of the community, as well as friends and well-wishers, to reconnect and celebrate together.
“We are inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us. It is a celebration of our culture, our community and thanksgiving for the new yam season,” he added.
According to the invitation, activities will commence at Ogbene’s residence on Akirika Chioku Avenue, Nome Ogba Aniji Road, Umuchigbo, before proceeding to Obodoeze Iji Village Square, Odangene, for the New Yam rites and masquerade display.
The event will also feature traditional cuisine, music and other forms of cultural entertainment.
The organisers urged sons and daughters of Umuchigbo, friends, well-wishers and members of the public to join the community in celebrating the festival.
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