USAfrica: Ondo Gov. Akeredolu says Nigeria’s Justice minister Malami “betrays a terrible mindset” on herdsmen violence, cattle open grazing
Special to USAfricaonline.com
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has countered the criticism made on Wednesday on Channels TV by Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on the decision of the Southern Governors banning open grazing of cattle by anyone in their own states. Malami had made a statement that the ban could be compared to any Governor in the northern section of Nigeria banning the sellers of auto parts — a veiled reference to the Igbo business persons who are, by far, the nationwide leaders of the auto parts business (without any support or intervention by the government). The herds of cattle are led, predominantly, by Fulani herdsmen from the northern sections of Nigeria and parts of the Sahel. Malami is Fulani.
“Comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset”, Gov. Akeredolu stated. He added that Malami’s response revealed that Malami’s understanding of the law is “insufficient.”
For full context, USArica publishes their views. First, AGF Malami’s comments: “It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?. For example: it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the north….. Does it hold water? Does it hold water for a northern governor to come and state expressly that he now prohibits spare parts trading in the north?”
“If you are talking of constitutionally guaranteed rights, the better approach to it is to perhaps go back to ensure the constitution is amended….. Freedom and liberty of movement among others established by the constitution, if by an inch you want to have any compromise over it, the better approach is go back to the national assembly to say open grazing should be prohibited and see whether you can have the desired support for the constitutional amendment. It is a dangerous provision for any governor in Nigeria to think he can bring any compromise on the freedom and liberty of individuals to move around.”
The Governor’s statement reads: “I have just read the press statement credited to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Shehu Malami (SAN) on the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States. The AGF is quoted to have said that this reasoned decision, among others, is akin to banning all spare parts dealers in the Northern parts of the country and is unconstitutional.”
“It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting. This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit response from reasonable people who know the distinction
between a legitimate business that is not in anyway injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy. Clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry, which is evidently injurious to harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant.”
“Mr. Malami is advised to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective States banning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court. The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour.”
USAfricaonline.com has reported, factually and severally, due to the exponential rise in violence and killings of Indigenous farmers and displacements of hundreds of thousands of persons in the country of Nigeria from the reported actions of the AK-47 carrying herdsmen, Boko Haram and the so-called Unknown Gun Men, security has remained a matter of life and death. By Chido Nwangwu, Founder of USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston and USAfricaonline.com
