By: Ike Philip Abiagom
Four years after the Delta State House of Assembly passed the Anti-Open Grazing and Livestock Management Law to curb herders’ invasion of farmlands, farmers in Igbuzo town in Oshimili North Local Government Area and other communities across the state are still living in fear.
Despite the legislation, herdsmen continue to graze cattle openly, destroying crops and threatening rural livelihoods—while authorities appear unable or unwilling to enforce the law.
In Igbuzo, a once-thriving agricultural town in Oshimili North Local Government Area, local farmers say the situation has worsened in recent months. Vast farmlands have been overrun by cattle, with cassava, yam, maize, and vegetable crops eaten or trampled by herds.
“We have the law, but no enforcement,” laments Mrs. Ifeoma Nwabuokei, a widow from Umueze -Igbuzo who lost her three-acre cassava farm to cattle incursions. “When we report, they tell us to calm down. Yet the herders boast openly that no one can touch them.”
Community sources allege that political interference and silence from traditional authorities have emboldened the herders. Some farmers allegedly accuse certain powerful individuals of maintaining informal ties with Fulani groups in exchange for favors and livestock gifts, thereby compromising enforcement.
“The herders move freely because they feel protected by the mighty. The victims are the poor farmers who feed the town.”
The Delta State Anti-Open Grazing Law was enacted to prevent unrestricted movement of cattle and promote ranching as a modern alternative.It prohibits open grazing, night grazing, and cattle movement on foot, prescribing fines, imprisonment, and confiscation of livestock for offenders.
However, investigations reveal that since the law came into effect, implementation has been largely symbolic.
In 2023, the state government announced the creation of 45 Livestock Management Operatives to enforce compliance. Yet, across many local councils—including Oshimili North, Ukwuani, and Ughelli North—there have been no reported prosecutions.
Experts attribute this failure to weak coordination between the state’s livestock enforcement unit and federal security agencies.
A senior official in the Ministry of Agriculture, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted that enforcement has been “slow and uneven” due to overlapping responsibilities between state and federal authorities.
“Policing remains under federal control,” the source explained. “Even when we arrest offenders, we rely on police officers who often release them quietly. That frustrates our efforts.”
Critics say selective enforcement and lack of political will are major obstacles.
While the law is on paper, implementation is often hindered by political considerations, especially where powerful figures maintain alliances with herder groups.
Civil rights activist, Comrade Henry Eze, accused local authorities of “deliberate sabotage.”
“There is no shortage of laws in Delta State—only a shortage of courage. What we see is complicity wrapped in silence,” he said.
In August 2025, women in Udu and Aniocha areas staged protests, demanding enforcement of the law and protection of farmlands. Their message echoed the frustrations of farmers in Igbuzo, Ebu, and Akwukwu-Igbo are currently facing daily, where herdsmen reportedly graze with impunity.
Security analysts warn that the government’s failure to enforce the anti-open grazing law could trigger rural unrest.
“Every time farmers lose their livelihood without justice, resentment builds up,” said a retired police officer familiar with community policing in Delta North. “That’s how conflicts escalate into violence.”
Residents are now calling on our amiable Governor Sheriff Oborevwori who was our Speaker when this law was passed to take decisive action by empowering the Livestock Management Committee, strengthening local enforcement teams, and holding negligent officials accountable.
As one Igbuzo farmer put it:
“The law is good, but a law that is not enforced is as useless as no law at all.”
Until decisive action is taken, the anti-open grazing law risks becoming yet another paper tiger—a reminder of how good policies die in the hands of weak implementation and compromised leadership.
