Barau suspects ‘Ranches Commission Bill’ targeted at relocating Fulani herders to States of origin

Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, suffered humiliation on Wednesday as his opposition to a bill for an act to establish National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission, which was sponsored by Senator Titus Tartenger Zam, from Benue State was ignored by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Barau in his contribution after Senators took turns to speak on the general principle of the bill, said, it was targeted at relocating Fulani herders to their States of origin, if it eventually passed and the Commission is established.

He feared that some Fulani herders do not know way to their States of origin, hence, their choice of living wherever they wished in Nigeria was in line with the Constitution and any attempt to relocate them as envisaged in the bill, amount to breach of sections of the Constitution.

The concerned lawmaker maintained that the bill was in breach of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, particularly in regard to choice of residence, insisting that nobody should be denied on where he or she chose to live.

Barau insisted that Fulani herders should be left alone to live wherever they chosed to.

Meanwhile, Barau seemed to be the only man canvassing for Fulani herders, even as majority of Senators from the North who spoke on the bill supported its establishment.

According to him, he benefitted from living in a place that was not his place of origin, and hence, Fulani herders in any part of the country should be allowed to live wherever they chose to.

He said: “There is a snag in this bill, there is a problem because you can not stop any Nigerian from living in any area that he so wishes.

“The relevant section of the constitution has been read. I saw something just a few days ago: Senator Natasha visited a Fulani settlement in her senatorial zone. Those people do not have any home except that place. They have been there for so long. They have been part and parcel of that society.

“Now, to tell them to move to their state of origin, where is their state of origin?

“Now, for us as political leaders, I would like you to look at that. Who is the current Senator of FCT? She is a Yoruba native, but she has won the election here. Nobody told her to return to her state.

“I won my first election in Tarauni Federal Constituency to the House of Representatives in 1999 from Kano Central, but I am from Kano North. Nobody told me to go back to Kano North, so why do we now tell herders to go back to their states of Origin?

My friend Zam, understand that this is not consonant with our constitution; your bill is good. I like this bill, but this aspect should be removed. We should remove it. I advise my friend Senator Zam to stand this bill down for a consultation, for better drafting, so that it goes in consonant with our constitution.

“Mr President, I will tell you some of these Fulanis; if you ask them where is their state of origin, they have even forgotten; they look at themselves as Nigerians.

“We should address the issue to reflect wherever someone is, it’s his place, and he can do his business there. So, Mr President, I advise this bill to be stepped down for further consultation.”

Barau’s spirited effort to shut down the bill failed as majority lawmakers ayes the bill when Senate President, Godswill Akpabio put to voice vote.

The bill having passed second reading was committed to the relevant Committee for public hearing.