Malami Fired for Comparing Spare Parts Trading in the North with Cattle Open Grazing in the South

 

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has dropped is under fire for criticizing the southern governors’ decision to ban open grazing in their states.

 

Malami said such resolution is unconstitutional and dangerous for the country.

 

Malami said during an interview on Channels Television‘s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, “It is a dangerous provision for any governor in Nigeria to think he can bring any compromise on the freedom and liberty of individuals to move around.”

 

Malami without considering the fact that human right is not the same as animal (cattle) right has said that the constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our constitution cannot deny the rights of a Nigerian.

“It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?”

“For example, it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the north.”

Last week, seventeen southern governors met to ban open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in the region over cases of kidnappings and killings that have been traced to criminal elements amongst herders.

Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, the Chairman of the Southern Governor’s Forum, explained that the decision is not new as most of the governors have placed a ban on open grazing in their states before the meeting.

“We felt that – open grazing must stop. It is causing a lot of problems particularly between the herders and the farmers. Whether we like it or not, times have changed and this must change. We must adopt a modern system of animal husbandry,” Akeredolu said.

“In this day and age, they cannot continue taking cows by foot from Kano to Port Harcourt.”

The governor said the Federal government needs to throw its weight behind state governments that want to set up ranches, noting that this will benefit the herders who are exposed to dangers as they roam with their cattle.

In response to the attorney general of the federation Abubakar Malami erring and inciting utterances, the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum Rotimi Akeredolu has challenged him to seek legal redress over the ban on open grazing by the southern governors.

The chairman of the Southern Governors Forum Rotimi Akeredolu has challenged the attorney general of the federation Abubakar Malami to seek legal redress over the ban on open grazing.

Akeredolu said in a statement, “It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distil issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting.”

“Mr Malami is advised to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective States banning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court.”

Akeredolu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) like Malami, said the attorney general’s comparison of herdsmen and spare parts dealers “betrays a terrible mindset.”

“This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit response from reasonable people who know the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in anyway injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy,” Akeredolu said.

“Clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry, which is evidently injurious to harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant.”

The Ondo State governor said “comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset.”

The human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has also lambasted the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), for saying the decision of southern governors to ban open grazing is like northern governors agreeing to ban sale of spare parts which is a market dominated by southerners.

Falana said it was funny that Malami, who is the chief law officer, was ignorant of the fact that northern governors had taken a decision to ban open grazing since January.

He said, “On April 27, 2018, the members of the National Economic Council resolved to ban open grazing and adopt the Livestock Transformation Plan of the Federal Government. The National Economic Council is constituted by the Vice President, the 36 State Governors, the Minister of Finance and the Central Bank Governor.

“On February 9, 2021, the Northern Governors Forum banned open grazing in all states in northern Nigeria. On February 11, 2021, the Nigeria Governors Forum banned open grazing in all the 36 states of the Federation.”

The senior advocate said comparing spare parts trading with open grazing was nonsensical.

Falana argued that spare parts traders pay rents and had been known to be peaceful in their conduct.

AGF Malami on banning #SpareParts business: In the same Northern Nigeria, Hisbah goes about destroying Southern businesses. Killer Fulani Herdsmen in the South are killing, Raping & destroying farmlands. Terrorists like Isa Pantami are protected. One Nigeria indeed! #BiafraExit pic.twitter.com/Y2GDfVwB3g

— Ada-Eze (@Real_AdaKing) May 21, 2021

Source: The Punch, Vanguard

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