The Tinubu Grazing Directive faces fierce criticism as opposition parties accuse the government of misreading Nigeria’s security crisis

In a development described by opposition figures as deeply controversial, President Bola Tinubu’s Tinubu Grazing Directive has triggered strong backlash across key political blocs, our correspondents report.

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The President’s appeal to herders to end open grazing, surrender illegal arms, and adopt full ranching as part of his new national livestock plan has been dismissed by major opposition parties as hollow rhetoric lacking a concrete roadmap.

The policy, unveiled on Wednesday as part of broader security reforms under the Ministry of Livestock, comes amid escalating abductions in Niger and Kebbi as well as continued farmer–herder clashes in the North Central belt.

Yet opposition leaders insist the President has fundamentally misunderstood the nature of Nigeria’s insecurity.

Labour Party spokesperson Obiora Ifoh argued that the crisis is driven not by herders but by organised terrorist groups.

He maintained that attackers who raid schools and churches rarely have any link to cattle rearing, insisting that the government must strengthen intelligence and undertake serious counter-terrorism actions rather than issue what he termed superficial directives.

The African Democratic Congress was equally scathing. ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi questioned how the administration intends to enforce the Tinubu Grazing Directive when many armed groups operate far outside traditional herding communities.

He dismissed the policy as declarative theatre, claiming the government lacks the logistical and infrastructural capacity to implement its own security announcements.

Abdullahi also criticised the plan to recruit 30,000 new police officers, noting that inadequate barracks, insufficient ammunition and poor training facilities already undermine the existing force.

In his view, the administration appears unaware of the depth of institutional decay within the security architecture.

The Peoples Democratic Party adopted an even tougher tone. PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Tim Osadolor accused the President of being disconnected from realities on the ground.

He argued that while open grazing remains a long-term problem, the immediate threat stems from armed criminal gangs with no ties to pastoral activities.

Osadolor questioned the feasibility of identifying armed herders one by one, describing the idea as impractical and uninformed.

He also referenced the viral video of a Customs officer claiming to distribute seized rice to bandits, saying such revelations show that authorities may know more about the locations of criminal groups than they publicly admit.

He warned Nigerians to prepare for more political posturing as the 2027 elections approach.

The debate intensified after Senator Francis Fadahunsi renewed his call for civilian gun ownership laws. The senator argued that Nigeria was “at war” and should consider controlled firearm rights, as practised in over one hundred countries, to enable citizens to defend themselves.

He also demanded capital punishment for kidnappers and negotiators while urging the President to overhaul defence leadership.

Despite the fierce political storm, the government maintains that ranching, better border control and disarmament remain the most sustainable solutions to resolving the farmer–herder conflict and strengthening rural security.

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While critics dismiss the Tinubu Grazing Directive as insufficient, the administration insists that the reforms mark the beginning of a wider national strategy.