Abuja Sitting On A Grazing Reserve – Historian Warns

One of Northern Nigeria’s leading historians, Prof. Mahmod Hamman has called on authorities to address issues pertaining to the needs of cattle herdsmen observing that many grazing reserves including Abuja established for their needs had been encroached.

Prof. Hamman spoke in an interview where he observed that many issues concerning agriculture and particularly pastoralists had been relegated over the years.

He lamented the fact that grazing reserves established in the past had over the years been encroached with government doing nothing.                   

“Abuja itself is sitting on a grazing reserve,” he observed in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, adding “when the existing reserves were bastardised by individuals and not even by institutions did anyone ask questions and you want things to work well in this country” he asked?

The history professor cautioned that Nigeria cannot forget its history and hope for a bright future.

“Let us look at the ministry of agriculture. Pastorialism is an integral part of the agriculture but for several years that sector got nothing from the budget,” he said.

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Muhammad Bello, had in October 2016 announced a total ban on cattle grazing within the Abuja city centre.

In a meeting with members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, the minister had said:

“You have to understand that when Abuja Environmental Protection Board says cattle should not roam the city, it is not because they want to prevent cattle breeders from raring cattle in the FCT. Basically, it is just for safety. It is for safety of your cattle and above all, safety of the citizens,” Bello said.

“In a modern city, it’s not possible for animals and vehicles to move together on the roads because this could cause accidents which in some cases could be fatal, and it is our duty to protect lives and property”.

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