The presidency has reacted to the position of Southern Governors’ Forum on open grazing and said the governors’ decision to ban open grazing in their states is legally questionable.
Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a recent statement in Abuja, revealed that the governors’ anti-open grazing position was not in line with the constitutional right of every Nigerian to have freedom of movements regardless of their state of birth or residence.
He said prohibition of open grazing by the governors was not necessary owing to the fact that the president had long approved some specific measures to usher in a permanent end to the frequent violence between herders and farmers across the country.
He said the approved measures were proposed by the Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, in a report he submitted and the president approved back in April.
He said: “It is equally true that their announcement (Southern Governors) is of questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) -regardless of the state of their birth or residence.
“Fortunately, this declaration has been pre-empted, for whatever it is intended to achieve.
“Mr President, who has rightly been worried about these problems more than any other citizen in consultation with farmers and herders alike, commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the states, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements.
“With veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling.
“Through these rehabilitated reserves, the Federal Government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side: supporting farmers to till their fields, herders to rear their livestock and Nigerians everywhere to be safe.”
