Reacting to the presidency’s rejection of the ban on open grazing by the Southern governors, spokesman of the ACF, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe, said the Chairman of the forum, Chief Audu Ogbe, had earlier made the position of the forum known.
“Our stand on the issue was already made known by our Chairman, Audu Ogbe, in a statement he issued on May 17, 2021,” he said.
Ogbe, in the statement, had said that the decision to ban open grazing was in the best interest of all Nigerians.
He said: “ACF does not see any reason to object to a decision taken in the best interest of all.
“The fact of the matter is that the crisis emanates from the belief by most herdsmen that they are free to enter any farm, eat up the crops, and rape or kill anyone raising objections. Nobody or society can accept that.”
Afenifere said the presidential statement opposing the ban on open grazing showed that Buhari’s government was not organised.
The Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, said reacting to Shehu’s statement again would amount to dignifying him.
He said: “Having reacted to the statement of the Attorney-General, I consider it infra dignitatem to still countenance Garba Shehu whose statement, claiming the president’s authority, on the same ban on open grazing does not only show how unorganised the Buhari government is, but also a vote of no confidence on the AGF, who should save the honour of his office and the legal profession by resigning pronto.”
Ortom Condemns Moves to Reopen Grazing Reserves
Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has condemned the moves by the presidency to reopen grazing reserves.
The governor said in a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr. Terver Akase, that he read with concern a statement issued by Shehu in which he said the federal government would commence rehabilitation work on grazing reserves in the country next month.
“It is now clear that there is a hidden agenda, which only the presidency knows. Otherwise, all the regions of the country have accepted the fact that open grazing of animals is no longer fashionable and should be banned to pave the way for ranching, yet, the government at the centre is insistent that grazing reserves/cattle routes must be created across the country,” he stated.
Ortom added that the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) had on February 9 agreed that open grazing was no longer sustainable, in view of growing urbanisation and population of the country.
He accused the presidency of pushing for the continuation of open grazing and the return of cattle routes of the 1950s and 60s, adding that the presidency’s endorsement of open grazing has emboldened armed herders who lay claim to all land in Nigeria as belonging to Fulani, hence their invasion of farming communities and killing of original landowners.
“At present, the routes have been taken over by airports, roads, schools, hospitals, as well as markets, houses and other human activities,” he added.
