Suspend Anti-Grazing Law, Defence Minister tells security council

Mansur Dan-Ali

Mansur Dan-Ali

Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has advised the National Security Council to suspend Anti-Grazing Law enacted by some states while grazing routes should be opened up for cattle.

The minister who had previously called for the suspension said the measure was necessary to reduce tension in the country.

Dan-Ali’s position was contained in a statement he made available to State House correspondents after the meeting.

Speaking about his intervention at the meeting, the statement said: “The honourable minister suggested to the council the need for Defence Headquarters to launch a joint task force operation similar to Operation SAFE HAVEN in Jos to cover Zamfara and Birnin Gwari axis of Kaduna State with the affected states to reduce tension by suspending the implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing Law while also negotiating safe routes for the herders.

“The urgent need for the Nigeria Police and Department of State to prosecute all the suspects arrested in the states. The need to hasten the establishment if a National Commission on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria.

“The need to engage diplomatic channels to ensure US sanctions does not affect Nigeria.”

He told the council that the upsurge in untoward incidents of security concern in Zamfara state was quite disturbing noting however that, in the North East, the incidents of herdsmen-farmers clashes in Benue and Taraba had reduced considerably.

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The minister called for a more robust measure to tackle the threat, saying. “In the North-Central, the incidents of herdsmen-farmers clashes in Benue and Taraba states has reduced considerably. Several arrests have been made in connection with the killings and destruction of properties by own troops in conjunction with other security agencies.

“While in the North East, the Boko Haram terrorists activities have been contained as there is a significant improvement in security situation in the zone.

“The Nigerian Army has launched Operation LAST HOLD to flush out the insurgents from their hideouts in the Lake Chad Basin and free the communities to enable IDPs to return to their homes.”

The minister who said this operation will last till the end of August 2018 also drew the attention of the security council to the incessant killings and kidnappings by armed bandits and criminals across the North-West and the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

Dan-Ali also informed the Council that the United States of America conveyed to the Government of Nigeria information about the implementation of Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act Section 231.

He said: “It is pertinent to state that the award of contract for the procurement of the Mi-35M helicopters was completed before the Act was signed into Law in August 2017”, he sated while stressing “the need to engage diplomatic channels to ensure US sanctions does not affect Nigeria”.

Speaking to State House correspondents, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, disclosed that fresh joint security operations against criminals in the Birnin Gwari axis would commence in the next two weeks.

S-Davies Wande