An Agribusiness expert and farmer, Jinmi Ajayi, has expressed doubt over the Federal Government’s seriousness in tackling the issues of insecurity arising from herder activities that have increasingly plagued southern Nigeria in recent months.
His comments come in the aftermath of remarks made by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, that the ban on open grazing by southern governors was akin to banning all spare parts trading in the North.
He added FG may not be entirely serious about curtailing recurring incidences of violence associated with open grazing in Nigeria’s south, affecting lives, property, farming and agribusiness chains.
In a statement made available to Tribune online, Ajayi, who is also an international trade consultant, said “I find Attorney General Malami’s attempt to liken the ban of Open Grazing in the South to a ban on the sale of motor spare parts in the North, quite laughable.
He stressed that the ban on open grazing does not in any way proscribe sales of Cows while trying to invalidate AG Malami’s parallel example.
“I am sure the Southern Governors who called for the ban last week did that as a measure towards bettering security, their communique also confirms. And this is even asides from the fact that open grazing, as it has been practiced down here, has been an open threat to food security considering the wreck on farmlands and lives of farmers.”
“As against what AG Malami suggested this morning, a ban on Open Grazing isn’t a ban on the selling of cows.”
Ajayi expressing a hope that the Attorney General will correct his gaffe and provide the Governors the constitutional enactments to formalize the ban, a move he believes will pave way for better solutions towards cattle and livestock management across the country.
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