Senators, Reps ask Defence Minister to withdraw anti-grazing law comment

The Senate on Wednesday asked the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, to withdraw call for ban of anti-grazing laws in Benue and Taraba states.
This followed a Point of Order by Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC-Benue North East) on the floor of the Senate.
He urged the Red Chamber to ask the minister to withdraw his statement regarding anti grazing law.
He said the call was not necessary, adding that it was worrisome for such a statement to come from a cabinet member that ought to help find solution to incessant killings in the states.
“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, this matter is very critical and I need to bring it out.
“Seven people were killed in Kwande Local Government Area in my senatorial district yesterday.
“We are under siege by armed men who kill and destroy farms and homes everyday.
“Yesterday, there was a Security Council meeting which was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, asked Buhari to stop anti-grazing laws in Benue and Taraba states,” he said.
The lawmaker expressed concern that Buhari was being ill-advised by his appointees.
Contributing, Senator John Enoh (APC-Cross River) said killings in Nigeria had nothing to do with anti-grazing laws.
He urged the Senate to rise above sentiments in dealing with killings across the country.
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha also disclosed that five persons were killed on their way to farm in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State on Tuesday.
He urged the Senate to be united against killings in Nigeria.
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, thereafter put the point of order to a voice vote.
Also, the House of Representatives on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to rescind the decision to compel states to suspend ranching and open grazing law.
The call by the lawmakers followed a motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance by Rep. John Dyegh (APC-Benue) at plenary.
Moving the motion, Dyegh said that the 1999 Constitution expressly empowered States’ Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the states.
According to him, based on the Rule of Law and tenets of democracy, it was totally wrong for the Federal government to dabble into the affairs of states.
Dyegh said that the Federal Government was ignoring the laws of the land, more so, the Land Use Act, which had given power over lands to governors.
He said that the Anti- Open Grazing Law in Benue was enacted after the unprovoked Agatu killings by Fulani herdsmen that claimed the lives of over 800 persons and ravaged over 20 villages.
He said that in the past seven years, clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Benue had been on the increase with so many lives lost and farmlands and villages destroyed.
“This is not the only state that has made laws for good governance in it.
“For instance, we have seen states making laws against trading in alcohol and prostitution and such laws are obeyed by visitors and indigenes alike without interference by Federal Government.”
The lawmaker pointed out that the directive from Federal Government that states should suspend their open grazing laws was uncalled for.
He said, “11 states as disclosed the by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development some time ago, agreed to donate enough land to accommodate all the cows owned by herdsmen into colonies to end this crisis.
“More so, that even the National Economic Council in one of its meeting also agreed that ranching is the best way to end the crisis.”
The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.
The House, therefore, called on the Federal Government to submit a supplementary budget to the National Assembly to develop colonies immediately in those states that had agreed to donate land.