A human rights group, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice has demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari clears up Sambisa Forest which serves as the operational headquarters for the Boko Haram sect for Fulani herdsmen to graze their livestock.
The call is contained in a statement by the Chairman of the group, Suleiman Adeniyi, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday.
The group pointed out that it will be of no use acquiring land all over the country for grazing, when the President can clear the Sambisa Forest for herdsmen to graze their cattle
The call is contained in a statement by Chairman of the group, Sulaiman Adeniyi, made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday.
The group pointed out that it will be of no use acquiring land all over the country for grazing, when the President can clear the Sambisa forest for herdsmen to graze their cattle.
Adeniyi noted that appearance of the herdsmen now poses major threat to the peace of the nation with their viciousness, adding that moving them to Sambisa forest would be a better alternative rather than starting another crisis with land owners all over the country.
The statement reads, “The President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government of Nigeria should go and clear the den of Boko Haram sect, popularly called ‘Sambiza Forest’ for its proposed ‘Grazing Reserve Project’ for the Fulani Herdsmen.
“The proposed bill would increase avoidable crisis in the land through the violent resistance across the region of the country. The Fulani herdsmen have become dangerous species across the states of the federation.
“President Buhari should drop the idea of forcing the grazing reserves bill on the states contrary to section 17,18 and 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, in order to save the country from imminent violent problem.
“The proposed grazing reserves idea is ill-conceived, illegal, unconstitutional, self-serving, retrogressive, day-light robbery and time bomb which is capable of igniting monumental crisis across the length and breadth of the nation.” The group called on politicians and international community to prevail on the President to drop the idea, saying it might spark another crisis which would be difficult to solve.”
The group also commended the Amnesty International for bringing to the public notice the high rates of alleged human rights abuses of the nation’s security agents in the war against Boko Haram sect. poses major threat to the peace of the nation with their viciousness, adding that moving them to Sambisa Forest would be a better alternative rather than starting another crisis with landowners all over the country.
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