Residents of Ebonyi reject Federal Government’s push for grazing policy, warning it will escalate insecurity and worsen farmer-herder conflicts in the region
Ebonyi residents reject grazing plans by the Federal Government, warning that the policy risks deepening insecurity and fuelling violence between farmers and herders across the South-East.
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Public figures, legal experts, and community leaders in the state have condemned the reported move to institutionalise ranching and open grazing nationwide, saying it poses a serious threat to peace in the region.
Speaking in Abakaliki, former Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information, Chief Abia Onyike, dismissed the policy as unpopular and dangerous.
He alleged that the plan to implement open grazing was part of a wider agenda and could lead to an escalation of violence in areas already facing tension.
“Some people who are behind open grazing use it as an instrument in pursuit of their conquest agenda. It will be very dangerous for the South East to be part of open grazing,” he said.
Chief Onyike expressed strong support for ranching, calling it a better solution that avoids the insecurity often linked to open grazing. He said allowing herders to move freely with cattle would only compound the South-East’s already fragile security situation.
Human rights lawyer Barrister Sampson Ekigbo echoed that view, describing the grazing plan as a dangerous compromise.
“This system leads to loss of crops and may breed crisis and communal war,” he said. “There’s nothing like ranching and it should not be allowed in our land.
No sane person should support open grazing; even our laws outlawed it. It destabilises national security.”
Civil servant and local community leader, Elder Peter Oka, added that the grazing model being promoted by the Federal Government must be scrapped.
According to him, the policy is ill-timed, ill-advised, and incompatible with the realities of the state.
“Open grazing has led to conflicts between farmers and herders, resulting in loss of lives, destruction of properties, and displacement of communities,” he said.
“Introducing open grazing in Ebonyi State may exacerbate tensions and create more problems.”
While Elder Oka agreed that ranching may offer a more controlled and peaceful approach to livestock management, he warned that it must be implemented with clear safeguards.
“A more sustainable approach would prioritise dialogue, stakeholder engagement, and conflict resolution mechanisms to address the complex issues surrounding grazing and farming in the region,” he added.
As tension continues to rise, residents of Ebonyi have called on the Federal Government to abandon the proposed policy and instead focus on inclusive solutions that prevent conflict and protect local communities.
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The rejection underscores a broader fear that without proper consultation and security guarantees, the reintroduction of open grazing could spark widespread unrest.
