BUHARI TO ADDRESS THE CONFLICTS OF HERDERS AND FARMERS PERMANENTLY

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, expressed a strong resolve to address the conflicts of herders and farmers permanently, but not without berating the Southern Governors’ Forum for their recent ban on open grazing, which he described as an act of questionable legality. He further accused the governors of politicking with serious security issues and an attempt at a show of power.

The presidency’s position was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, insisting that the governors’ resolution during their meeting, which held on May 11 in Asaba, Delta State, is a violation of the constitutional right of Nigerians to live and do business in any part of the country, irrespective of such citizen’s state of origin.

Last week Wednesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, compared selling of spare parts in the North to open grazing of cattle in Southern Nigeria, which drew the displeasure of Southern governors, senior lawyers and other socio-political organizations.

Weighing in on the matter for the first time yesterday since the resolution was made two weeks ago, the President in the statement, however, assured that the associated problem of the gun-wielding “killer herdsmen” would be tackled.

Shehu recalled that Buhari has approved measures to bring an end to the skirmishes as recommended by Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture, in April.

EDITOR: JAMESBEST