By Faridat Salifu
The Council of Fulani Chiefs of South-West Nigeria on Monday announced the inclusion of Kwara State in its operations as part of a broader security strategy, following its decision to outlaw night grazing, underage herding, and the carrying of firearms by pastoralists.
Council chairman and Sarki Fulani of Lagos, Mohammed Bambado II, said the integration of Kwara was necessary because security challenges in the state often spill into Ekiti, Oyo, and border communities with the Benin Republic.
He explained that aligning Fulani groups across state lines would make it easier to enforce new rules and sustain peace.
Bambado added that the council has begun compiling data on herders and their livestock across the region to improve monitoring and ensure compliance.
He also called for the revival of nomadic education centres to equip Fulani communities with modern knowledge on livestock production and peaceful coexistence.
“The council is committed to sustaining the cordiality we have maintained with our host communities for over 200 years, but this requires adapting to current realities,” Bambado said, emphasising that pastoralists must now embrace modern grazing systems over constant migration.
Security analysts say the inclusion of Kwara in the South-West council’s framework marks a shift towards regional cooperation, at a time when violent clashes between farmers and herders have been declining but remain a lingering source of tension. END
