The Ogun State Government has committed to enforcing the Animal Grazing Regulation and Cattle Ranch Establishment Law signed in 2021, warning that herders engaging in open grazing will face the full weight of the law, including a minimum three-year jail term without the option of a fine.
The government’s position was conveyed in a statement on Tuesday by Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor, in response to recent incidents of traffic obstruction and farmland encroachment caused by cattle herders operating in violation of the law.
Akinmade condemned the continued disregard for the anti-open grazing legislation by certain herders across the state, noting that such acts pose serious threats to public safety, agricultural productivity, and communal harmony.
“The government of Ogun State has observed with concern repeated cases of traffic disruption, farmland invasion, and destruction of crops by herders,” the statement said. “These actions constitute a direct violation of the Animal Grazing Regulation and Cattle Ranch Establishment Law and will no longer be tolerated.”
The law, which was enacted to address frequent violent clashes between farmers and herders, strictly prohibits the rearing or grazing of livestock outside designated ranches. It prescribes a mandatory prison sentence of no less than three years for offenders, alongside the forfeiture of livestock involved.
“For the avoidance of doubt,” Akinmade emphasized, “any person who rears or grazes livestock outside permitted ranches, after the commencement of the law, risks not only imprisonment but also the forfeiture of their animals to the state.”
He added that while the state supports lawful and modern cattle rearing practices, it will not condone lawlessness or activities that threaten peace, disrupt traffic, or infringe on private property.
“Cattle owners and herders are welcome to operate in Ogun State within the limits of the law. However, no one has the right to impede the free flow of traffic, trespass on private lands, or engage in conflict under the guise of grazing,” he stated.
