NIGERIA’S ANTI-GRAZING LAWS AND THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS OF RIGHTS

Abstract

Nigeria in its over 60 years of independence has witnessed a multitude of conflicts,
that have been have varied as the diverse ethnic communities that make up the country. Inter-
ethnic, intra-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts have not only negatively impacted on the
development of the Country, they have also shaped the way people of different ethnic groups
perceive and relate with each other. The recent escalation of communal conflicts between
Herdsmen and Rural farming communities is ordinarily no different from many other ethnic
crisis in the Country in many respects, however due to under-lying religious and ethnic
tensions, it has sometimes evoked high emotional responses across the Country. These
responses have been further stoked by what appears to be a less than impressive response from
the Federal Government, which is ordinarily charged with the maintenance of internal security
in the Country. Nothing Illustrates the potentially destabilizing effects of the conflict than the
enactment of various Anti-Grazing laws. They have been criticized for departing from well-
established international Human Rights norms and principles. Though there have been
counter-arguments from its drafters and there is yet to be any definitive judicial
pronouncement on the legitimacy of their provisions; given the fact that the newly enacted
laws are likely to be the template that would be used by other State Governments willing to
enact similar laws, there is the need to examine these laws to other to determine the extent to
which they depart from accepted Human Rights principles and how these may result in
violations of basic rights already enshrined in the Constitution.