- Some state governors have challenged police chief Ibrahim Idris to go to court if he has a problem with the anti-grazing law
- Governor Ortom said it would be wrong for anyone to advocate that government should establish ranches for herdsmen as it was a lucrative private business
- Taraba state governor maintained that his anti-grazing law was not the cause of the killings being perpetrated by the herdsmen in the state
The governors of Benue, Ekiti, and Taraba states have asked the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris to implement the anti-grazing law instead of giving them lectures on how to pacify the herdsmen.
The governors said the police chief has no right to direct them on how to make the anti-grazing law implemented in their states work, The Punch reports.
This was in reaction to a statement by Idris that state governors should establish cattle ranches before implementing anti-grazing laws to avert conflict between farmers and herdsmen.
Governor Samuel Ortom who spoke through the commissioner for information and orientation, Lawrence Onoja Jr., challenged the police chief to approach the court if he was not comfortable with the implementation of the anti-grazing law in Benue state.
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According to him, the directive if Idris to governors to establish ranches before operating grazing laws is totally against the Nigerian constitution.
He said: “It is not his duty and he does not have power to direct governors. The police are not to interpret the law but to enforce it. Therefore, it is not for the IG to determine whether a law is right or wrong. It is the duty of the judiciary to interpret laws. If a law is passed and the IG feels it is not good enough, the best thing to do is to challenge the law in the court for interpretation.”
Onoja said it was wrong for anyone to advocate that government should establish ranches for herdsmen, maintaining that ranching was a lucrative private business.
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state who is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum said his state would not heed the advice of the police IG.
The governor’s special assistant on public communications and new media, Lere Olayinka said: “The inspector general of police has no choice than to obey the laws made by any state. It is the duty of the police to enforce the law. Cattle rearing is regarded as a private business and it is not the duty of the governors to provide land for the herders. The real cattle owners are rich people who can afford land; they are not the nomads you see following cattle from the North to the South.”
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Also speaking, Governor Darius Ishaku of Traba state maintained that the anti-grazing law remained one of the solutions to end the unwarranted clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state. He said the law was put in place to stop incessant attacks and killings by the herders.
Speaking through his senior special assistant on public affairs, Emmanuel Bello, the governor said: “We have already enacted a law, but we are still prepared to listen to any good idea that brings about peace and mutual understanding among stakeholders.”
NAIJ.com reported that Idris, on Wednesday, February 28, advised state governors to prioritise the establishment of cattle ranches before enacting anti-grazing laws, to avert conflict between farmers and herdsmen.
The IGP gave the advice at the Northern States Stakeholders Security Summit, with the theme, `National Building: Security Challenges and the Need for Inclusive Approach’, held in Kaduna.
“It is my humble suggestion that to reduce the incidence of clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria, state governments should endeavour to establish grazing ranches in their various states before enacting laws to prohibit open rearing and grazing," he said.
Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng