A pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has criticised the national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for reportedly suggesting that unused lands be converted to grazing reserves in order to solve frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen in some states of the federation.
The Tribune reports that Afenifere in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin, described the suggestions credited to Bola Tinubu as very backward in modern time and contrary to solution of ranching which many Nigerians proffered to solve the herdsmen siege on farmers.
The group cautioned the APC leader to tread carefully on such a sensitive issue and desist from playing games with the lives of Nigerians by making such a suggestion.
“The attention of Afenifere has been drawn to the statement credited to former Lagos governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the herdsmen’s terror being witnessed across the country is a fallout of water scarcity and that the country should “convert unused land to grazing reserves,” the statement from Afenifere read in part.
“Tinubu, who was speaking at The Nation/TVC seminar in Abuja, said: “Unoccupied, isolated land can quickly be turned into grazing areas in the affected states.”
“Since most of the states in the country are being affected, it is sad that Tinubu is adumbrating the Miyetti Allah’s position to convert the entire country into one huge cattle colony.
“We admonish him that he is free to play his politics the way it suits him but he should tread softly in playing games with the lives of our people by making outlandish propositions on issues on which positions have been settled.”
The pan-Yoruba socio-political group questioned if Tinubu being an enlightened individual would have suggested that grazing routes should be established in places like the US and Britain as a resident of such countries.
The group asked the APC chieftain to offer his residence in Bourdillon for cattle colony if he so desired
“We stand on the position of the 2014 National Conference position that the country should embrace ranching as a way out of the herdsmen crisis.
“Let those who are in the position to take the decision to know this clearly: Tinubu can give his residence in Bourdillon for cattle colony but our people will not accept their land being converted into cattle grazing routes,” Afenifere said.
In another report, the Plateau state commissioner of police (CP), Undie Adie, has been removed from his position with immediate effect following an order from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
The Punch reports that Adie’s removal was announced in statement by the spokesperson for the Plateau state police command, Matthias Tyopev.
The statement read that Adie has been replaced with Austin Agbonlahor, who was until his appointment, the CP operations at force headquarters, Abuja.
Though no reason was given for the change in the hierarchy of the plateau police command, we learnt that the recent clashes between herdsmen/farmers in the state have prompted the change.
