Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop looking for grazing reserves in 2021 when all stakeholders have agreed that open grazing is outdated.
Falana stated these after the president has approved the review of 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country.
Last week, the presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the president’s decision was informed by the recommendations of the federal government National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), chaired by Ibrahim Gambari, his chief of staff.
The committee was set up to provides for the ranching of livestock and to address the farner-herders crisis.
But while speaking on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television program, Falana wondered why the president would make the decision when all stakeholders have agreed that open grazing is obsolete.
Falana said “With profound respect, the point has to be made that we need a united action; we need a national resolution, we need a scientific solution to this problem,” the lawyer said.
“As far as the law is concerned, the president cannot, with profound respect, be talking of looking for grazing routes in 2021 Nigeria.
“The Northern Governors’ Forum, the Southern Governors’ Forum, even Miyyeti Allah, and other relevant stakeholders have concluded that open grazing is obsolete and no longer relevant.
“In this particular instance, apart from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the land in every state in Nigeria is vested with the governor on behalf of the people. The president cannot impose any land policy on the state governors.
“Under the Land Use Act, the president has no control over and outside the FCT, and I think that point has to be made very clear.
“As far back as 2018, the federal government came up with a policy called the National Livestock Transformation Plan, including ranching. This policy was adopted by the 36 governors.”
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