There was palpable high tension in the Senate on Wednesday as the bill to ban open grazing successfully passed its second reading.

The plenary witnessed heated debates and strong emotions, reflecting the contentious nature of the proposed law.

If enacted, the bill will finally prohibit open grazing nationwide, aiming to resolve longstanding conflicts between herders and farmers.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Titus Zam, representing Benue North West, outlines specific regulations for the establishment and management of ranches, promoting best practices and mitigating disputes between herders and farmers.

Zam while explaining the general principles of the bill, stressed the need for the proposed commission to manage, regulate, and preserve ranches across the country.

According to him, “The proposed National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission is for management, preservation, and control of ranches throughout Nigeria.”

But the bill met stiff opposition from Senator Danjuma Goje from Gombe and his counterpart from Kebbi, Adamu Aliero.

The two lawmakers, who are also former governors, argued that cattle rearing and ranching activities were more in the North than in other parts of the country, arguing that lawmaking should be for the entire country and not for a section.

Goje on his part maintained that cattle routes begin from the far north and end in Lokoja as “the route does not extend to the South”.

Senator Hussein Babangida Uba, representing Jigawa North-West, in his own contribution, called for extra caution in passing the bill because of its trail of controversies in the past.

Other Senators who supported the bill argued that the proposed Commission would manage the farmers/herders’ clashes, adding that the bill should therefore be passed.

The bill was passed after it was put to voice vote by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Judiciary and Legal Matters to be reverted in four weeks.