We’ve Gone Beyond Looking For Grazing Routes – Falana

Human Rights Activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has faulted the Presidency’s approval to review grazing reserves in 25 states in the country.

Falana who was a guest on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics, said: “we’ve gone beyond this stage of looking for grazing routes”.

“As far as the law is concerned, the President cannot, (with profound respect), be talking of looking for grazing routes in 2021, Nigeria.

“The Northern Governor Forum, the Southern Governors Forum, and even the Miyetti Allah group have all come to a conclusion that open grazing is obsolete,” he added.

His comments come days after President Muhammadu Buhari approved recommendations of a committee to review “with dispatch,” 368 grazing sites, across 25 states in the country, “to determine the levels of encroachment.”

Among other things, the Committee recommended the production of maps and geo-mapping/tagging of sites, analysis of findings and report preparations as well as design appropriate communication on Grazing Reserves and operations.

This comes as the nation battles insecurity, including farmer-herder clashes.

But efforts by the Federal Government to resolve the age-long crises including the introduction of the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) have met stiff opposition.

Many believe ranching is a better approach to the problem.

“We need a national resolution of this crisis. We need a scientific solution. We need a modern solution to this problem,” Falana said.

“State governors are already investing in ranching”.