The government of Niger State has issued a new directive requiring all incoming pastoralists to obtain official permits. Failure to comply with this registration process will result in individuals being classified as rustlers as part of a broader push to tighten security and manage livestock movement.
Umar Ahmed Sanda Rabe, the Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, explained that the policy is designed to stop criminals from posing as herders. Speaking in Minna, Rabe noted that the state lacked adequate records until his ministry was established in August 2022. Thanks to the support of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, the state has now gathered reliable information on pastoralist leadership across different regions.
Plans are currently underway to build a thorough database within three years that logs the identities of herders, their livestock counts, and their locations. The commissioner emphasized that this project will aid in delivering essential services like water to these groups. Additionally, the government has launched empowerment schemes for women and youth while working to settle disputes, which Rabe clarified are often rooted in land issues rather than strictly herder-farmer friction.
Regarding safety, Rabe denied that Niger State hosts any permanent bandit camps, asserting that criminal groups move in from surrounding areas. Consequently, security forces have been instructed to rigorously vet those entering the state. Police Commissioner Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, through spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, noted that while the constitution protects movement, authorities will continue to screen arrivals to prevent the misuse of these rights by malicious actors.
