• Falana to FG: Establish cattle ranches
By Chukwudi Nweje and Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to overhaul the National Security Council (NSC), against the backdrop of herdsmen, farmers’ clashes across the country.
CAN said an overhaul of the NSC would “accommodate people of other faiths and tribes instead of the current composition that is dominated by Muslims from a particular part of Nigeria.”
CAN General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, alleged the Federal Government, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (MAKH), are responsible for the recent upsurge of crime against Christians in Nigeria.
He was particularly concerned that MACBAN and MAKH have consistently incited violence against Christians in Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau states and recently, in Benue state, due to the anti-open grazing law which became operational in the state in November 2017.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and rights advocate, Femi Falana has urged government to proceed with the establishment of ranches for herdsmen.
Falana, however, blamed the federal government’s “official negligence” on recurring herdsmen, farmers’ clashes which has led to thousands of deaths in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and other parts of Nigeria.
“The federal government has a legal duty to protect the life and property of every citizen; it has failed to put an end to the perennial violent conflicts between farmers and cattle herdsmen, which have needlessly claimed many lives and destroyed properties worth several billions of Naira in many states of the federation.”
The senior advocate in a statement made available to Daily Sun also warned traditional rulers, political office holders and religious leaders against making inflammatory statements, which he said are capable of aggravating violence in the society.
“Having decided to establish ranches the federal government announced that it was determined to disarm the herdsmen…But since the federal government has neither established the ranches not disarmed the herdsmen the reign of terror has continued in Benue, Taraba and many other states. Instead of apologising to the nation, for such official negligence, the federal government has turned round to compound the crisis by announcing the decision to drop ranches for cattle colonies. Since the volte face is based on the objection of a few powerful cattle owners, the federal government has been accused of insincerity in addressing the crisis. But, the federal government is merely playing on words as there is no difference between ranches and cattle colonies.” He asked the federal government to go ahead with the proposed cattle ranches which has been endorsed by the patrons of Miyetti Allah.