Ban On Open Grazing: Malami Unfit As AGF, Says Afenifere

Pan Yoruba socio cultural group, Afenifere, has said comments of
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, over the Southern Governors resolutions have
exposed him as unfit for the office.

It said Malami had always allowed his sectarian disposition to
becloud his qualifications.

Secretary General of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, in a statement in
Akure, said Malami was quick to latch on to constitutional
provisions each time he perceived a threat to the interests of
herdsmen.

Ebiseni stated the AGF denounced South West regional security
initiative codenamed Amotekun but developed cold feet when
challenged to approach the court.

He said the ban on open grazing and movement of animals by foot
was not a denial of “freedom and liberty of movement and does not
require the slightest touch of the constitution for the Governor to
pronounce.

The group said: “For the attention of Malami, most of the states
already have laws banning open grazing and the pronouncement of the
Governors was merely to give effect to an existing law.

“It is the animal that is being prohibited from grazing openly
and being moved by foot except Malami intends to extend the
inalienable human rights in the constitution to animals in the
defence of a culture which gives more care to cattle than human
beings.

“It is the same primitive mindset of which the Buhari
administration has threatened the Governor of Benue State that he
would have no place except he allowed a free reign of animals.

“Malami was mischievously playing the role of an agent
provocateur when he was inciting Northern Governors to place a ban
on spare parts trading in which southerners are involved.

“In deference to their religious and cultural sensibilities,
some of the northern states made laws banning trading in alcoholic
substances and have been seen destroying such wares in their
millions notwithstanding that they share in the VAT collected on
those goods and no one is crying over it.

“We in the Afenifere support the resolutions of the Southern
Governors banning open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in
our territory.

“Those who can cope with the destruction of farm lands and
produce by animals and are also permissive of criminality by
terrorist herdsmen are free to open their vast lands for such
purposes.

“Nigeria will only exist and thrive on the terms agreeable by
all its constituent nationalities. Officials of the Federal
Government should be advised that their jaundiced sectarian views
are eloquent testimony that the Buhari administration has lost the
confidence of the generality of Nigerians.”

Pan Yoruba socio cultural group, Afenifere, has said comments of
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, over the Southern Governors resolutions have
exposed him as unfit for the office.

It said Malami had always allowed his sectarian disposition to
becloud his qualifications.

Secretary General of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, in a statement in
Akure, said Malami was quick to latch on to constitutional
provisions each time he perceived a threat to the interests of
herdsmen.

Ebiseni stated the AGF denounced South West regional security
initiative codenamed Amotekun but developed cold feet when
challenged to approach the court.

He said the ban on open grazing and movement of animals by foot
was not a denial of “freedom and liberty of movement and does not
require the slightest touch of the constitution for the Governor to
pronounce.

The group said: “For the attention of Malami, most of the states
already have laws banning open grazing and the pronouncement of the
Governors was merely to give effect to an existing law.

“It is the animal that is being prohibited from grazing openly
and being moved by foot except Malami intends to extend the
inalienable human rights in the constitution to animals in the
defence of a culture which gives more care to cattle than human
beings.

“It is the same primitive mindset of which the Buhari
administration has threatened the Governor of Benue State that he
would have no place except he allowed a free reign of animals.

“Malami was mischievously playing the role of an agent
provocateur when he was inciting Northern Governors to place a ban
on spare parts trading in which southerners are involved.

“In deference to their religious and cultural sensibilities,
some of the northern states made laws banning trading in alcoholic
substances and have been seen destroying such wares in their
millions notwithstanding that they share in the VAT collected on
those goods and no one is crying over it.

“We in the Afenifere support the resolutions of the Southern
Governors banning open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in
our territory.

“Those who can cope with the destruction of farm lands and
produce by animals and are also permissive of criminality by
terrorist herdsmen are free to open their vast lands for such
purposes.

“Nigeria will only exist and thrive on the terms agreeable by
all its constituent nationalities. Officials of the Federal
Government should be advised that their jaundiced sectarian views
are eloquent testimony that the Buhari administration has lost the
confidence of the generality of Nigerians.”