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Bill On Farmers, Herders Clash, Ranching Divide Senate
The Senate of the National Assembly was on Wednesday thrown into a heated debate on a bill seeking to outlaw open grazing in Nigeria and replaced it with Ranches in states of origin of Pastoralists.
Farmers/Herders Clash has become a lingering incident forcing many states in the Southern part of the country to create anti open grazing laws in their states.
The dvision among Senators on the bill centred around infractions on relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution, protocols of the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) as regards free movements of persons and their property from State to State and country to country.
The sponsor of the bill, Senator Zam Titus Tertenger (APC Benue North West) said now is the time to adopt international best practices in animal husbandry and bring about a law to stop open grazing adding that It is old fashioned, hazardous, burdensome and must be discarded.
However, senators from Kebbi, Kano and Gombe State kicked against the bill and advised Tertenger to step it down.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North) advised Tertenger to step down the bill for limiting establishment of Ranches to states of origin of Pastoralists.
While Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA Abia South), Garba Musa Maidoki ( PDP Kebbi South), Abba Moro ( PDP Benue South), supported the bill, others like Senators Adamu Aliero ( PDP Kebbi Central), Suleiman Kawu ( NNPP Kano South), Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central) kicked against the bill.
Senator Aliero, in opposing the bill, raised the constitutional point of order by quoting section 41 of the 1999 Constitution which gives all Nigerians free movement into any state with their property.
He specifically told the Senate that it was wrong for the sponsor of the bill , to propose establishment of ranches in the state of origin of pastoralists alone .
Senator Kawu in his own opposition to the bill, said it was totally against provisions of Nigeria Constitution .
“This bill is against provisions of the constitution and infact, will compound the crisis of herders / farmers in Nigeria , if allowed to become law,” he said .
Tertenger however told the Senate that there was no other better time for such a bill than now.
“Mr. President, now is the time to adopt international best practices in animal husbandry. My distinguished colleagues, now is the time to bring about a law to stop open grazing. It is old fashioned, hazardous, burdensome and must be discarded,” he said.
In his lead debate before the Senate in session, Tertenger submitted that the bill among others, proposes ranching as the only viable alternative for cattle breeding in Nigeria and advocated for the urgent need to transit from traditional livestock keeping method to the modern methods which are safer and healthier to both the herds and the herders.
He advised that ranches be established in the pastoralists state of origin without forcing it upon other states or communities that do not have pastoralists as citizens just as, according to him, interested parties in livestock business, must seek and obtain approvals of their host communities to establish ranches for the purpose of peaceful co-existence.
“Reports have it that, since 2016 more than 4000 lives have been lost as a result of farmers/herders conflicts. Also over 5 million people have been displaced particularly in the Middle Belt Region and other parts of Northern Nigeria. With dwindling productivity in crops production and herds which has reportedly cost the country an average of $3.5 million dollars or 47% of its internally generated revenue.
“Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, this 10th Senate has a date with history. We must rise in one accord to sort out this problem of herders-farmers violent conflicts that would, if allowed to linger longer, consume even more lives and properties than the civil war of 1967-1970.
“Therefore, now is the time to put a permanent stop to the endless circle of attacks and counter attacks by our people and their external collaborators,” he said.
The bill however scaled second reading when put to voice votes by the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio after refusal of the sponsor to step it down.
It was thereafter forwarded to the Senate Committees on Agriculture , Trade and Investment , Judiciary and Legal Matters for more legislative inputs within the next four weeks .
A major fire outbreak occurred at a market in the Yaba area of Lagos State in the early hours of Saturday.
The blaze, which reportedly began between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM, has destroyed several shops and goods worth millions of naira, leaving numerous traders stranded and counting their losses.
Videos circulating on social media showed thick smoke and flames consuming parts of the market, while traders and residents scrambled to salvage belongings.
An eyewitness, Lugar Feliz, livestreaming on TikTok, noted that firefighters were already at the scene and identified the affected area as the Popo section of Yaba Market. Another user, Olamilekan Iyiola (@Olamilekan0932), described the incident as a “terrible fire outbreak in Yaba right now.”
Some residents expressed frustration over emergency response efforts. Adeoluwa (@Okunlola_Jude) reported that shops behind his property were completely destroyed, with losses estimated in the billions of naira. He added, “Fire service headquarters is just 10 minutes away, yet only one truck was brought to the scene.”
Sullex Print and Branding (@SullexBranding) also highlighted equipment challenges, claiming, “Three fire service trucks responded, but only one had water. The fire is currently at Ajibode Street, Yaba.”
As of Saturday morning, the cause of the fire remained unknown. No official statement has been released by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service regarding the extent of damage or potential casualties. Firefighting and containment efforts were ongoing, while residents called for enhanced emergency preparedness to prevent further losses.
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Union Bank Looted: How former directors gambled with billions and nearly destroyed a national bank
The former directors and owners of Union Bank did not just fail, they engineered a financial disaster. They manipulated reports, hid massive losses, diverted foreign loans and treated depositors’ money like a private wallet.
Investigators uncovered billions of dollars in misconduct. These directors buried over ₦250 billion in losses, piled a $300 million foreign loan onto the bank without protection and then forced Union Bank to carry the burden. They even used the bank’s own funds to buy its shares, an outrageous betrayal of trust.
It didn’t stop there. Over $100 million was pulled out improperly, leaving the bank exposed and struggling. Loans meant for customers were secretly diverted into shady transactions. False reports were sent to lenders. The system was deliberately deceived.
This was not incompetence. It was exploitation.
By 2025, their actions had created nearly ₦400 billion in losses and over ₦147 billion in unpaid charges. The bank was on the edge.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stepped in just in time. Without that intervention, Union Bank could have collapsed, dragging others down with it.
Now, the bank is stabilising. But let’s be clear: this recovery is happening in spite of those former directors, not because of them.
They didn’t build value. They destroyed it.
And Nigerians deserve to never forget who was responsible.
Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi recently defended his past interactions with armed groups, stating he “took the bull by the horns” in 2021 as a necessary step to address Nigeria’s insecurity.
In a post shared on Facebook on Thursday, Gumi said decades of neglect of disadvantaged populations had created deep socio-economic inequalities, leaving many youths vulnerable to manipulation by external forces seeking to destabilise the country.
According to him, the widening gap between the rich and the poor has turned many young people into “ready-made foot soldiers” in cycles of violence that enable the exploitation of Nigeria’s resources.
He also criticised the political class for being largely unresponsive, while noting that the intellectual community is preoccupied with survival struggles.
Reflecting on his past efforts, Gumi said he “took the bull by the horns” in 2021 by attempting to reintegrate violent elements into society rather than allowing them to be further radicalised.
He wrote: “Nigeria for decades has ignored the underprivileged section of its society. There is a significant socio-economic discrepancy, and the society is stratified. This makes our teaming youth ready-made foot soldiers for any foreign interest trying to divide us and rule. To plunder our resources while we are involved in a vicious circle of violence.
”Unfortunately, the political class is unattentive while the intelligentsia is held hostage in the struggle for existence.
“In 2021, I took the bull by the horns in an attempt to bring some of these uncouth elements back to our fold rather than letting them be exploited by the devil.
“I still believe this is the only way out of our predicament. However, it needs the political will and determination to achieve.
“May Allah bring peace back to our nation.”
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Union Bank Looted: How former directors gambled with billions and nearly destroyed a national bank
Gumi Defends Dialogue As Sole Solution To Nigeria’s Insecurity
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