TheCable

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says the Buhari administration cannot justify its decision to “treat herdsmen as sacred cows” after it crushing other armed groups.

In a statement on Tuesday, Falana said herdsmen who are armed should be disarmed by the government.

The lawyer said the “much delayed” ranches should be established by the government as a solution to the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

“But having crushed other armed groups in the country the Buhari administration cannot justify the decision to treat the armed herdsmen like sacred cows,” he said.

“Therefore, it is high time the armed herdsmen were disarmed by the federal government. At the same time, the much delayed ranches should be established while all feuding communities are reconciled. With ranches and abattoirs established in a few states, meat would be prepared in large scale and distributed throughout the country and possibly exported.

“That is what has been done in Botswana which is the largest producer and exporter of meat in Africa. That southern African country of 2.2 million people with a cattle population of over 3 million has successfully stopped violent clashes between farmers and cattle herdsmen.

“Once ranches and abattoirs are established in Nigeria, all controversial anti-grazing laws would become spent while Governor Ayo Fayose would not have any basis to risk the lives of the hunters in Ekiti state by mobilizing and equipping them with local guns to confront AK 47-bearing herdsmen.”

Falana said the federal government should restrain Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, from confusing Nigerians with “his pet project of cattle colonies”.

“The federal government is merely playing on words as there is no difference between ranches and cattle colonies,” he said.

“Since the establishment of ranches is in the national interest and in the interest of cattle owners and breeders the federal government should restrain chief Ogbeh from confusing the Nigerian people with his pet project of cattle colonies.

“Having concluded arrangements to establish ranches the federal government should go ahead and convince the members of the Miyetti Allah to embrace the concept.

“This should not be a difficult assignment since the concept of ranches has been endorsed by powerful cattle owners and the patrons of Miyetti Allah.”