From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Kulen Allah Cattles Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has appealed to Minister of Justice for enforcement of the president’s Directive on Recovery of Encroached Grazing Reserves, Cattle Routes.
In a statement from the national chairman of the association, Hon. Khalid Muhammad Bello said that, Nigerians may recall the widely publicized directive of President Muhammad Buhari to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to, in the interest of peace and unity in the country, take all necessary measures to reclaim the entire encroached grazing reserves and cattle routes, especially in the Northern part.
For nearly a year after the directive, no action has been taken by the Office of the Attorney General to enforce the president’s directive.
“We, members of Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) with all sincerity of purpose wish to passionately appeal to the office of the nation’s Attorney General to as a matter of utmost urgency to execute the directive towards the achievement of durable peace and sustainable development.
“Our appeal is based on the following genuine reasons for Mr. President to be seen true to his words and a genuinely committed leader to issues and peace, national reconstruction and socioeconomic advancement:
“The farmers who due to their selfish interest and total negligence to our national security would reason to desist from what will jeopardize our national bond; the rains are almost here and there would be need to avert further violent conflicts.
“There is need that all gazetted grazing reserves and cattle routes are liberated from encroachment by sedentary farmers who forcefully convert these cattle routes and grazing reserves into farmlands causing additional insecurity problem in the country by bringing direct collision between sedentary farmers and herders.
“The encroached grazing reserves and routes are legal and constitutionally owned by herders and the President’s directive for their reclaiming hence farmers may plant their crops in the area under discussion and induce direct herders and farmers clash.
“Even now, the Northern part of this country is sadly faced with serious issue of insecurity which is mainly centered on the ongoing mistrust between our beloved farmers and herders.
“The enforcement of the said historic and very important order will reduce, if not completely end the wanton clashes between cattle rearers and farmers that is mainly caused by the farmers accusation that herders destroy their farms while the herders on their side are blaming farmers for encroaching into their grazing reserves or totally blocked their cattle routes illegally and converted them into their personal farms.
“There is no doubt we of KACRAN strongly believe that, reclaiming our encroached grazing reserves and reviving them through provision of water points and animals pasture will end most of the problem we are facing now.
“As law abiding Nigerians, we bound to respect our constituted authorities and we humbly pledge our commitment in search of solution (s) to peaceful coexistence.
“We strongly believe that the implementation of the directive will bring about lasting solution to the lingering problem between herders and farmers.
“Non implementation of this presidential order will set a bad precedence that President’s directive can be ignored or thrown away and nothing will happen to punish those who clearly demonstrated the act of insubordination.
“Once we want to abundantly clearly state that, if the president’s order will be allowed to die naturally whose order will be carried yout or executed in the country, and are we, God forbid, not moving towards anarchism and lawlessness?”
