Kwara Governor cries out over invasion of Fulani herders

Kwara-Governor

Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq

Kwara governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has raised alarm over rapid influx of Fulani herders into his State and the attendant security implications.

The Governor noted that the the herders now outnumber the indigenous population in many communities across the state.

“Fulanis have spread into multiple villages in Kwara, with their population gradually outnumbering indigenes,” said the Governor.

AbdulRazaq who spoke in an interview with the Vanguard newspaper blamed the invasion by the Fulani on the ban on open grazing by governors in the Southern part of the country.

He blamed the ban on open -grazing by governors in the Southern part of the country for the situation.

“Security challenges are huge, especially with insecurity in the North-West and the declaration by Southern Governors to ban open grazing,” said the Kwara governor.

“Once they pronounced it and set a date, we saw a migration of herdsmen coming in, to the extent that if you go to Kwara South, Kwara North now, in some villages, the Fulani have moved in. They are more in population than the indigenes.”

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Mr AbdulRazaq argued that legislation enforcing the ban could not be adopted in Kwara, explaining that open grazing is enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria.

His comments came as Southern governors like Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, among others, continue to sign the anti-open grazing law in their respective states.

The 17 southern governors had met on three different occasions this year in Lagos, Asaba and Enugu,agreeing to enact the anti-open grazing laws to tackle worsening insecurity.

However, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice minister and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, said the ban on open grazing is illegal.

According to him, controversies surrounding open grazing are a constitutional matter that amending the constitution will address.

He advised the 17 southern governors to approach the National Assembly for the needed backing to effect the ban on open grazing.

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