Southern Governors Told To Make Laws Banning Open Grazing

Posted by Ignatius Okpara African News, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, May 30th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A onetime Military Administrator (MILAD) of Delta State, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor (rtd) has said that the recent pronouncement banning open grazing by Southern Governors must be promptly backed with implementable and effective laws promulgated by the various State Houses of Assembly.

He said that is the only way to make it achieve the desired objectives.

The former MILAD, equally faulted the bill proposed by Nigeria’s National Assembly (NASS), stipulating 15 years jail term for anybody found guilty of paying ransom to kidnappers for the release of his/her relation from the kidnappers’ den, insisting that the federal lawmakers should instead promulgate a law that makes it mandatory for a kidnapper to face life imprisonment or death sentence, if found guilty of the act.

Ochulor, who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Enugu weekend, emphasized that the southern Governors’ pronouncement would just end up as mere verbal expression if they failed to quickly support it with implementable and effective laws across all the southern states.

He, however, noted that “the implication is that the people may see them as jokers and nobody would take them serious.”

Describing as “a bold step” the southern Governors ban on open grazing in the south states.

The retired top Military officer added that he had wished that “they had done it earlier than now because it was long overdue.

He re-emphasized that “where they misuse the opportunity to back the pronouncement with useful and implementable laws, it may mean that people will think they are not committed to stopping the excesses of the armed herdsmen causing a lot of trouble in the area and capable of leading to the nation’s disintegration.

Ochulor, pointed out that any Nigerian who is opposed to the southern Governors ban on open grazing, “obviously, and by implication, he or she doesn’t want Nigeria to continue to exist as one nation,” alleging that such an individual, however highly placed or otherwise, might be seen as one of the promoters or sponsors of the armed herders and their unlawful activities.

According to him, such killings, destruction of farmlands and crops, maiming, raping, among others, should be condemned by all. He insisted that there was no way “any right-thinking citizen would be clapping for such a supporter of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man.

Speaking specifically on the proposed bill by the National Assembly specifying 15-year jail term for somebody who pays ransom to kidnappers, Ochulor said, “Before a government promulgates a law, it must first of all think of the implementation of the law.

“The national legislators should promulgate a law that makes it mandatory that if somebody is found guilty of kidnapping, such a person should either face life jail or death penalty.

“They should first make a law to deter or discourage the law breaker or potential kidnapper from the act.

“This is what I expect the National Assembly to do. They should focus more on preventive measures.

On the sudden wave of insecurity in the southeast and southsouth zones of the country, which hitherto, were adjudged as “safe and peaceful,” the pioneer Military Administrator of Delta State, said that he had expected the Governors in the zones to have organized the security of their states so that citizens or residents of the states would have full confidence in the government.

He cautioned against the full-blown military operations going on in these zones as most innocent citizens who know nothing about the issue at stake may be exposed to dangers or even get killed by security men, adding that while he pitied the innocent youths in the affected areas, he has “no pity for those that are attacking security formations and razing INEC offices in the southeast zone.

Ochulor called for aggressive youth re-orientation programmes in order to positively change the mindset of the young men in the areas, stressing that “they can’t solve their problems by shooting into the air and attacking the security formations and operatives.

“Military operation doesn’t solve the problem. This type of operation requires a subtle approach and thorough investigation.

“At the moment, they are destroying police stations and INEC offices. The security operatives should devise a means of tracking the criminals and arresting them rather than shooting-on-sight any young man or woman because there is no way every young Igbo man can be classified as a criminal.

“Actually, the criminals among them are on drugs. They don’t have parental attachment.

“They should know that their toeing a war path should not solve their problems, but they don’t understand.”