In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, Professor John Ajai, a lecturer at Taraba State University, has called for an urgent review of Nigeria’s commitment to the ECOWAS Transhumance Protocol. He also urged the president to fast-track the enactment of a national law banning open grazing across the country.
Ajai highlighted that the protocol, originally designed to facilitate the movement of pastoralists across West Africa, has instead contributed to escalating insecurity, violent land occupations by armed groups, and threats to Nigeria’s territorial integrity. He argued that unregulated cross-border movements have allowed not only pastoralists but also heavily armed groups to infiltrate Nigeria, exacerbating the displacement of indigenous communities, destruction of livelihoods, and fostering deepening tensions in states like Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa.
Citing a USAID-funded report, Ajai pointed to the staggering human and economic toll between 2015 and 2019, with nearly 7,000 deaths and approximately $13 billion in annual economic losses attributed to conflicts linked to pastoral activities.
Ajai warned that criminal organizations and insurgents, such as Boko Haram, are exploiting the gaps in the protocol to smuggle weapons, conduct surveillance, and carry out acts of terrorism. He further emphasized that Nigeria’s adherence to the outdated protocol is impeding the adoption of modern livestock practices like ranching and feedlot systems, which are crucial for agricultural transformation and food security.
Describing the situation as a “dangerous erosion of sovereignty,” Ajai called on President Tinubu to reconsider Nigeria’s participation in the ECOWAS Transhumance Protocol, suggesting the possibility of renegotiating or withdrawing from it in the national interest. He also commended the president for the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, calling it a “visionary step,” but stressed that more decisive measures were needed to permanently outlaw open grazing.
Ajai appealed to President Tinubu to champion the swift passage and implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing Bill, which has already passed the third reading in the Senate. He described the bill as a historic opportunity to address the root causes of violent land occupation and ensure Nigeria’s long-term security and stability.
In closing, Ajai emphasized the gravity of the moment, urging the president to take bold action. “These are not ordinary times,” he said, “they demand extraordinary leadership. Future generations will honor the turning point when Nigeria chose survival, sovereignty, and renewal over drift and disintegration.”
Ajai expressed confidence that with strong leadership, Nigeria can overcome its current challenges and reclaim its place as a united and prosperous nation in Africa.
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