Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, has faulted the decision of southern governors to ban open grazing of cattle.
Southern Governors Forum (SGF), had at its meeting held in Asaba, Delta State Capital, on Tuesday, unanimously prohibited open grazing in the region in order to checkmate herders-farmers clashes.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Senate, said Nigeria’s security problems is not about open grazing.
The issue of insecurity, he argued, is unique to each geopolitical zone.
The lawmaker said: “The governors are deviating from the matter. The problem is not about open grazing. The problem is security. Most of the insecurity problems confronting Nigeria is not in the bush.
“We have four different types of security challenges. We have the insurgency in the North East, IPOB through the Eastern Security Network is creating insecurity in the South East, there is banditry in the North West.
“It is only in the North Central that we have issues of farmers-herders clashes. There is less problem in the South – West except for the clashes between the herdsmen and the farmers and the agitators for the Yoruba nation.
“Similarly, in the South – South, they are trying to instigate the avengers but so far the area is peaceful. The issue of insecurity is unique to each zone.”
Ndume, however, reiterated that the military must be provided with adequate weapons to prosecute the war against insurgency.
He also said salaries and allowances of military personnel ought to be paid in time.
He, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to priortise the issue of security.
“That means even if they will stop paying us and use the money to tackle security. Is it not when you are secure that you talk of other things? It is not only the politicians but everybody.
“If you know that you cannot move out of your house and they say sacrifice your salary, won’t you do it? Many people are working from home, yet they are being paid. They should stop paying salaries and address the whole issue of insecurity. If you don’t have money, stop paying salaries and allowances and use the money to provide security.
“If you are borrowing money to provide infrastructure, why can’t we borrow money to protect our people?” Ndume said.
Ndume commended the troops for their response to the latest attack by the Boko Haram in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
“On Tuesday evening, around 6pm, a group of Boko Haram insurgents wanted to infiltrate Maiduguri but the armed forces responded swiftly and neutralize and repelled the insurgents.
“I understand that most of the insurgents were killed. The Army, Air Force, police and the civilian JTF, played a very significant role in repelling the insurgents. If such reaction from the armed forces is sustained, the insurgents would be repelled whenever they surface anywhere in the North-East,” he said.
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