National Ranches Commission Establishment Bill Proposes Jail Term for Defaulters

The National Ranches Commission Establishment Bill, 2024, which has passed the second reading in the Senate, proposes a five-year jail term and a N50,000 fine for defaulters if it becomes an act of parliament.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Titus Tartenger Zam of the APC from Benue North West, aims to establish ranches for herders in their states of origin, replacing the current practice of open grazing to address the issue of herder/farmer clashes in Nigeria.

If enacted, the National Ranches Commission would be responsible for managing, preserving, and controlling ranches nationwide. The bill faced opposition from Northern senators but eventually passed the second reading on June 5, 2024.

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Part 1V, Section 23 (1) of the bill states that anyone who contravenes any provisions of the Act or regulations made under it shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N50,000 or imprisonment for five years, or both.

Part 1V, Section 22 (1-7) lists actions that would result in imprisonment, including alienating any rights affecting land constituted as National Ranches, making improvements without approval, encroaching on National Ranches, bush burning, hunting, using chemicals, felling trees, destroying the ecosystem, and allowing livestock to wander, roam, move, or graze outside National Ranches.

The bill is intended to regulate the management of ranches and promote a more sustainable and peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers in Nigeria.