Oyo Assembly seeks reforms to Amotekun, anti-grazing laws

The Oyo State House of Assembly has recommended significant reforms for the state's Amotekun security network and its open-rearing and grazing regulation law. These suggestions stem from a comprehensive post-legislative scrutiny of the laws, which were enacted to tackle insecurity and farmer-herder conflicts.

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The review was conducted in collaboration with the House Post-Legislative Scrutiny Unit and supported by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

The ad hoc committee's report, compiled with input from various stakeholders including government ministries, security agencies, farmers' groups, and civil society organizations, noted measurable successes in reducing violent clashes. The Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Law, 2019, has helped protect farmlands and encouraged modern livestock management.

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The Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Law, 2019, has recorded measurable successes since its enactment, particularly in reducing violent clashes between farmers and herders, protecting farmlands and encouraging the adoption of modern livestock management systems.

However, the review identified critical institutional and operational challenges. A major concern is the concentration of enforcement structures in Ibadan, leaving many local government areas underserved. The report also pointed to weak collaboration among security agencies like Amotekun, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigeria Police Force, leading to overlapping duties and mistrust.

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several structures provided for in the law, including local government advisory committees, have yet to be fully established and operationalised.

Further issues include inadequate funding, manpower shortages, poor logistics, and insufficient data on livestock populations and grazing routes. These factors hinder effective planning and implementation, prompting the assembly's call for strengthening the operational framework of both the Amotekun corps and the grazing law.

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inadequate funding, manpower shortages, poor logistics and insufficient data on livestock populations, grazing routes and ranch locations, which continue to hinder effective planning and implementation.