Rights Group Urges Plateau to Avoid Lethal Force on Pastoralists

The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and Relief Fund Trust (RFT) issued a statement urging the Plateau State Government to withdraw any suggestions of using lethal force against pastoralists found trespassing on farmland. This call follows a recent court judgment involving the Jos North Local Government Area.

The statement, signed by Amb Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, Country Director of Nigeria for IHRC RFT Global, commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang for his commitment to the rule of law and judicial independence. However, the organizations expressed concern over previous suggestions that pastoralists caught grazing on farmland should be shot, describing such positions as dangerous and inconsistent with constitutional rights.

They stressed that the use of lethal force should not replace legal procedures and warned that extrajudicial actions could violate the right to life and due process as outlined in the Nigerian Constitution. The organizations advocated for the protection of farmland through lawful means, including arrest and prosecution, rather than extrajudicial measures.