Following his comment on the ban placed on open grazing by southern governors recently, Igbo apex group, Ohaneze, Afenifere, and a human right lawyer, Femi Falana, on Thursday chided the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
Malami in a program on Channels Television had compared open grazing in the South to selling of spare parts by southerners in the North, saying the ban would not hold.
Reacting to this, the Ohanaeze said the statement was Senseless.
In a statement by its spokesman, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, Ohaneze said the remark by the AGF was “thoughtless, insidious and prejudicial.”
It also referred to Malami’s statement as “malevolent, ominous and incendiary.”
The group also reminded the AGF of his statement, where he said that “the rule of law is subservient to national security”, saying that he (the AGF) had become a chief law officer that twisted the law at will.
“Malami had also condemned the Amotekun security outfit by the South-West and so on. Malami knows that there has never been a report of a clash between the Southern motor spare parts sellers and the indigenous northerners.
“The motor spare parts sellers render their services to the populace from shops or sheds and are in no way comparable to the Fulani herders who invade farmlands, destroy crops, debauch women, maim, abduct and kill”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, a human right lawyer, Femi Falana, has described AGF’s stance on open grazing as nonsense.
In a statement, 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.
The statement read: “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 that comparing spare parts trading with open grazing was nonsensical.
“The AGF equally said that banning open grazing is like banning the sale of spare parts. The comparison is not applicable as the sellers of motor parts who operate in shops and markets in all states have not been accused of engaging in the killing of fellow citizens and destruction of their properties.”
“The ban on open grazing has not affected the rights of herders to move freely and acquire land in any state for the establishment of ranches in line with the provisions of sections 41 and 43 of the constitution.
“Since the constitution does not cover the right of animals to move freely and destroy farmlands it is grossly misleading to give the impression that the ban on open grazing has abrogated the right of herders to carry out their business,” he implored.
Falana warned the AGF to always watch his utterances in order not to put the country on fire.
“Malami should be reminded that he is the AGF and Minister of Justice of Nigeria. So, in making statements he should always regard the sensibilities of every part of the country and respect all legitimate interests of the entire people of the country,” he added.
On its part, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, said Malami was supporting killers.
In a statement issued by its chieftain, Mr Sola Ebiseni, the group said Malami’s statement has shown him supporting killers in the country.
The statement read, “The sectarian and emotional vituperations of Abubakar Malami on the ban of open grazing of cattle by the governors of Southern Nigeria did not come to discerning Nigerians as a surprise.
“It only pitiably exposed him as being most unfit for the office of the attorney-general having always allowed his sectarian disposition to becloud his eminent qualifications.
“Contrary to his latest vituperations, the ban on open grazing and movement of animals by foot is not a denial of freedom and liberty of movement and does not require the slightest touch of the constitution for the governor to pronounce. For the attention of Malami, most of the states already have laws banning open grazing and the pronouncement of the governors was merely to give effect to existing law.”