The Niger State Governor, Muhammad Umaru Bago, has vowed not to negotiate with bandits, stressing that it is unacceptable and that he will instead seek the intervention of the President and the National Security Adviser on the issue of frequent banditry attacks plaguing some local councils in the state.
Bago had also observed that negotiations with bandits in some states have led to an increase in cattle rustling.
The governor made his position known at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the implementation of the State Trade Animal Movement Security and Veterinary Inspection Permit, held in Minna on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Speaking on the issue of people bringing in slaughtered meat from the bush to sell, he stated that necessary measures will be put in place through relevant authorities to ensure that only meat slaughtered in recognised abattoirs is sold in the markets and that livestock entering the state must be vaccinated.
He had directed that no farmer should farm on the right of way, which is side by side with the highway, and warned herders not to allow their animals to graze on people’s farms, pointing out that anyone found wanting would be dealt with accordingly.
The governor highlighted that the Animal Disease Control Act of 2022, Sections 18 and 19, have empowered the state through the Department of Animal Health and Veterinary Services to issue permits for the transportation of animals, poultry, and animal products, saying it is a practical tool to safeguard public health, improve market systems, and protect livelihoods.
Bago further explained that the introduction of the Trade Animal Movement Security and Veterinary Inspection Permit systems is not intended to frustrate livestock operators, but to secure trade corridors, track animal health status, and strengthen veterinary compliance across markets, farms, and borders.
The governor hinted that the state has 120,000 hectares of land for grazing reserves across the state, and it is working with the federal ministries of livestock and agriculture, as well as development partners, to bring in seeds for grasses to plant pastures for livestock to graze within the reserves and that basic amenities would be provided.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Sanda Rabe, described the consultative meeting as developmental and will ensure the well-being of animals, secure them, and provide room for improvement of the livestock industry while also lamenting the lack of examination of animals for any possible disease before being slaughtered, saying checking of animals before they are slaughtered will curb the spread of diseases.
The President, National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors, and Marketers of Nigeria, Alh. Ilyasu Bulama, commended the tremendous efforts of the governor in developing the livestock industry, but stressed that the growing menace of cattle rustling has been largely affecting the cattle business.
He stated that the association had met with several traditional institutions and security agencies regarding this matter and expressed confidence that the implementation of the state trade animal movement permit by the state government would address the challenges.
Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Niger State Chapter, Umar Abubakar Lapai, stated that implementing a veterinary inspection permit will go a long way in ensuring healthy meat consumption, while establishing cattle ranches will help address farmer-herder clashes.
In their separate remarks, representatives of the Butchers Association of Niger State, Shehu Sarkin Pawa, and representatives of cattle breeders, Sadiq Abubakar and Hussaini Bosso, who spoke on behalf of all Fulani heads across the state, expressed confidence in the governor’s efforts to bring an end to the farmer-herder crisis.
