Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo yesterday said there was need to review
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol that allows
unrestricted
movement of animals for grazing across all countries in the
sub-region, stating that Nigeria’s interest to protect lives and property of
her citizen “must come first.”Speaking at the Northern States Stakeholders
Security Summit with the theme, National building: Security challenges and the
need for inclusive approach in Kaduna, he stated that the review of the law has
become imperative in the face of the clashes between farmers and herdsmen in
parts of the federation.
Represented by Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters,
Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Vice President noted that the desertification
sweeping across the sub-region had forced herdsmen to migrate from their
countries of origin to Nigeria in search of greener pastures, thereby making
the nation more vulnerable.His words: “From the Sahel down, the desertification
is encroaching and herdsmen are moving from their countries down to Nigeria to
seek pasture. We must find something to do about that.
The ECOWAS law that allows free grazing across the West Africa
sub-region has to be reviewed. Our interest must come first as a nation.“Before
we have a serious problem in our hand, the President is addressing this every
day. He is meeting with everybody concerned, including farmers, herdsmen and
community leaders.”Asked if the position had been tabled before the ECOWAS
Commission, Osinbajo said: “ I am advocating for that, and that is what
government will have to do very soon, to review this law that has been there
for many years, that allows herdsmen to freely graze across West Africa. “ We
have to protect our country, we have to protect and secure our countrymen. It
is very important.
However, Ojudu reiterated the President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment
to ending the incessant clashes, maintaining that ranching would check the
menace and increase the nutritional value of
animals.The presidential aide noted: “Nigeria’s population is growing
and the herds are growing as well. Therefore, we have to find a solution.
“Much of the land where they graze in the past have become farmland to
provide food for us, so we have to look at alternative ways of rearing our
herds. The idea of taking herds from
Sokoto, walking with them all the way to Bayelsa, has to be reviewed. It is not
good for the animals neither is it good for the herdsmen and peace and
stability of Nigeria.
“And that is why the Federal Government is advocating ranching. When
you ranch, you don’t have to take the animals all over the place. You are even
likely to get better performance from the herds and even their nutritional
value would increase as well as the farmers’ income. “
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has
cautioned governors against arming security outfits in their states.Speaking
also at the event, he noted that there were so many illegal arms in the land,
saying the development was posing serious security challenge to the country.He,
however, assured Nigerians of the force’s readiness to contain the prevailing
insecurity in the land.
The IG directed the 36 state police commissioners and that of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to mop up all illegal arms within 21 days,
saying
person found with prohibited firearms at the expiration of the
ultimatum shall be arrested and prosecuted.
Besides, Idris advised governors to establish grazing ranches for
herdsmen men before enacting grazing laws as a preventive measure.He said: “It is when grazing ranches are established
that herders can be arrested and punished for rearing and grazing in the open.
Doing so, I am of the opinion that it will make the law acceptable by all
parties.“It will do us good if we avoid the hasty formulation and implementation
of such laws across the country in the interest of peace and unity.’’
0 Comments