Niger State Government has declared that any pastoralist entering the state without an official permit will be treated as a rustler, as it intensifies efforts to strengthen security, monitor livestock movement and curb criminal infiltration.
The Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Ahmed Sanda Rabe, announced this directive during a Quarterly Media Briefing in Minna.
Rabe said the policy was introduced to enable authorities to properly identify and monitor pastoralists entering the state, particularly through border local government areas, and prevent criminal elements from disguising as herders.
According to him, the state lacked reliable records of pastoralists before the creation of the Ministry of Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs on August 23, 2022.
He stated, “With the political will of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, we now have comprehensive data on the leadership of pastoralist groups in Niger State. We know their associations and their chairmen in various localities”.
The commissioner
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