The Plateau State chapter of the Miyyety Allah cattle breaders association of Nigeria has issued out a press release in respect of a certain bill brought to the Plateau house of assembly to barn it’s people from an open grazing in the state.
In a statement signed by the state chairman, Nura Mohammed Abdullahi, the group stated that the federal republic of Nigeria has guaranteed every citizens the freedom of movement and freedom to leave any where. It further said the bill is nothing but trying to incite trouble in the state,. Read full text below :
Miyyety Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Plateau State chapter
5/12/2017
For immediate release.
It has came to our notice that the Plateau State House of Assembly have received a politically motivated bill, with the name citizen bill seeking for a law banning open grazing in the State, put forward by a group known as G17.
We swiftly react and view the agitations havering for the ban of the open grazing in the State, as contained in the said bill as nothing than trying to incite trouble into the State, that is trying as much as possible to consolidate on the attained relative peace being enjoyed for a longer period of time.
That we are also cinvince that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the supreme law of the land, which guaranteed freedom of movement and the right of citizens to live in any part of the country of their choice and embark on any legal business of their choice without any let, hindrance, restriction or molestation.
2) The bill has also negate all international, regional and sub-regional laws, conventions, charters and treaties which also guaranteed the above rights including transhuman to all and sandry.
3) Some of the provisions of the bill are barbaric anti-human and is born out of ethnic and religious sentiments. The bill also pose serious threat, intimidation and harassment against the herders
As Nigerians and people of Plateau State, we will not just stay back to look at trouble makers trample on our fundamental rights, and in this regards we vehemently reject any attempt by the State lawmakers to formulate a harmful law, onto our existence.
Let me categorically make it clear that we will not succumbed to any politically sponsored, “citizen bill,” seeking for passage into law to ban open grazing in our state. We understand that the G17 are agitating for the seizure of cattle route, grazing reservers and grazing corridors in the state give it out to farmers, and that we will again not allow it to go unchallenged, we are therefore urging the lawmakers to desists from doing what will pitch the state into avoidable confusion.
Therefore, we are urging the, Plateau State House of Assembly, to shun any agitations havering for the ban of the open grazing in the State.
As peaceful and law abiding citizens, we will continue to not only support the peaceful process, harp on the need to live in pace with one another, but are seriously working in ensuring that all live in peace, we therefore, urge and caution our people not shiver with the ill conceived bill agitating for the ban.
We are against any plan for cattle ranching by the government and as being proposed by the G17, talk less of telling us to buy our land to cave our cattle, we hope our positions are best understood.
Signed:
Nura Muhammad Abdullahi
State Chairman.