Why My Govt Is Building Railway To Niger — Buhari

*Hints at Reviving Cattle Grazing Routes

President Muhammadu Buhari has explained the decision of his
government to construct railway to Niger Republic.

The President stated this Thursday in an Exclusive Interview on
‘Good Morning Show’ on ARISE TV.

He said he had first cousins in Niger, while also adding that
Fulani, Hausa and Kanuri are in the neighbouring country and cannot
be cut off.

The President further explained that the railway being
constructed would also boost the friendly relationship with Niger
which had helped Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram
insurgents.

He stated: “If you recall, when I came, I went to Chad, I went
to Niger, I went to Cameroon. Look at what happened with Boko
Haram. If we were not in a good relationship with Niger, Chad and
Cameroon, Boko Haram would have done worse things to us and you say
I am going to Niger.

“I told you the border between us and Niger is 1, 500km. I spoke
to one French man and I had to tell him this. He spoke nonsense and
I told him look, in 1885, you sat down and drew lines (boundaries).
I said I have first cousins in Niger. There are Kanuris, there are
Hausas, there are Fulanis in Niger Republic just as there are
Yorubas in Benin. You can’t absolutely cut them off.”

Buhari stressed that Niger, which is a landlocked nation, had
discovered oil, and Nigeria did not want them to do trade through
Benin Republic.

According to him, “We want them to come through Nigeria. We want
them to send their exports through Nigeria.”

The President was also of the opinion that the new rail would
help Nigeria to compete with Benin Republic.

Contrary to the demand by the Southern Governors for the ban on
open grazing, he also hinted at reviving cattle grazing routes and
grazing areas, previously set across the country in the 1960s.

The southern governors had in May declared a ban on open
grazing, to curb the incessant violent conflicts between herders
and farming communities.

When asked if he agreed with the AGF’s position, Buhari
laughingly responded, “You want me to contradict my
attorney-general?”

Explaining further, he said, “What I did was ask him to go and
dig the gazette of the 1st Republic when people were obeying laws.
There were cattle routes and grazing areas. Cattle routes were for
when they (herdsmen) are moving up country, north to south or east
to west, they had to go through there.

“If you allow your cattle to stray into any farm, you are
arrested. The farmer is invited to submit his claims. The khadi or
the judge will say pay this amount and if you can’t the cattle is
sold. And if there is any benefit, you are given and people were
behaving themselves and in the grazing areas, they built dams, put
windmills in some places there were even veterinary departments so
that the herders are limited. Their route is known, their grazing
area is known.

“But I am telling you, this rushing to the centre (sic) so I
asked for the gazette to make sure that those who encroached on
these cattle routes and grazing areas will be dispossessed in law
and try to bring some order back into the cattle grazing.”

He also lamented the style and utterances of Benue State
Governor, Samuel Ortom, who had not only implemented an aggressive
anti-open grazing law but had accused Buhari of failing to take
actions against herdsmen because he is also a member of the Fulani
herders.

Buhari said indeed, he is a Fulani man but Ortom was being
unfair to him. He said he had told Ortom that the herdsmen
perpetrating the attacks are not the Nigerian ones.

The President further explained that the Tivs, which form the
majority in Benue, and the Fulanis had been engaged in cultural
conflicts for a long time.

He added, “The problem is trying to understand the culture of
the cattle rearers. There is a cultural difference between the Tivs
and the Fulanis. So, the governor of Benue said I am not
disciplining the cattle rearers because I am one of them.

“I cannot say I am not one of them but he is being very unfair
to me and I told him that the Nigerian cattle rearer was not
carrying anything more than a stick sometime with a machete to cut
some trees and feed his cattle but those sophisticated ones move
with AK 47.

“So, from other areas, people rush to Nigeria you know and
Fulanis from Mauritania and Central Africa look the same so they
feel they are the Nigerian ones and I assure you that we are trying
to resuscitate these cattle routes, grazing areas and make them
accountable.”

*Hints at Reviving Cattle Grazing Routes

President Muhammadu Buhari has explained the decision of his
government to construct railway to Niger Republic.

The President stated this Thursday in an Exclusive Interview on
‘Good Morning Show’ on ARISE TV.

He said he had first cousins in Niger, while also adding that
Fulani, Hausa and Kanuri are in the neighbouring country and cannot
be cut off.

The President further explained that the railway being
constructed would also boost the friendly relationship with Niger
which had helped Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram
insurgents.

He stated: “If you recall, when I came, I went to Chad, I went
to Niger, I went to Cameroon. Look at what happened with Boko
Haram. If we were not in a good relationship with Niger, Chad and
Cameroon, Boko Haram would have done worse things to us and you say
I am going to Niger.

“I told you the border between us and Niger is 1, 500km. I spoke
to one French man and I had to tell him this. He spoke nonsense and
I told him look, in 1885, you sat down and drew lines (boundaries).
I said I have first cousins in Niger. There are Kanuris, there are
Hausas, there are Fulanis in Niger Republic just as there are
Yorubas in Benin. You can’t absolutely cut them off.”

Buhari stressed that Niger, which is a landlocked nation, had
discovered oil, and Nigeria did not want them to do trade through
Benin Republic.

According to him, “We want them to come through Nigeria. We want
them to send their exports through Nigeria.”

The President was also of the opinion that the new rail would
help Nigeria to compete with Benin Republic.

Contrary to the demand by the Southern Governors for the ban on
open grazing, he also hinted at reviving cattle grazing routes and
grazing areas, previously set across the country in the 1960s.

The southern governors had in May declared a ban on open
grazing, to curb the incessant violent conflicts between herders
and farming communities.

When asked if he agreed with the AGF’s position, Buhari
laughingly responded, “You want me to contradict my
attorney-general?”

Explaining further, he said, “What I did was ask him to go and
dig the gazette of the 1st Republic when people were obeying laws.
There were cattle routes and grazing areas. Cattle routes were for
when they (herdsmen) are moving up country, north to south or east
to west, they had to go through there.

“If you allow your cattle to stray into any farm, you are
arrested. The farmer is invited to submit his claims. The khadi or
the judge will say pay this amount and if you can’t the cattle is
sold. And if there is any benefit, you are given and people were
behaving themselves and in the grazing areas, they built dams, put
windmills in some places there were even veterinary departments so
that the herders are limited. Their route is known, their grazing
area is known.

“But I am telling you, this rushing to the centre (sic) so I
asked for the gazette to make sure that those who encroached on
these cattle routes and grazing areas will be dispossessed in law
and try to bring some order back into the cattle grazing.”

He also lamented the style and utterances of Benue State
Governor, Samuel Ortom, who had not only implemented an aggressive
anti-open grazing law but had accused Buhari of failing to take
actions against herdsmen because he is also a member of the Fulani
herders.

Buhari said indeed, he is a Fulani man but Ortom was being
unfair to him. He said he had told Ortom that the herdsmen
perpetrating the attacks are not the Nigerian ones.

The President further explained that the Tivs, which form the
majority in Benue, and the Fulanis had been engaged in cultural
conflicts for a long time.

He added, “The problem is trying to understand the culture of
the cattle rearers. There is a cultural difference between the Tivs
and the Fulanis. So, the governor of Benue said I am not
disciplining the cattle rearers because I am one of them.

“I cannot say I am not one of them but he is being very unfair
to me and I told him that the Nigerian cattle rearer was not
carrying anything more than a stick sometime with a machete to cut
some trees and feed his cattle but those sophisticated ones move
with AK 47.

“So, from other areas, people rush to Nigeria you know and
Fulanis from Mauritania and Central Africa look the same so they
feel they are the Nigerian ones and I assure you that we are trying
to resuscitate these cattle routes, grazing areas and make them
accountable.”