Former Plateau Assembly Member Faults Nigeria Constitution For Not Restricting Herders Free Movement
Yakubu Busari
A Former Member Representing Mangu North constituency in Plateau State House of Assembly and now Member of the Judicial Service Commission, Hon Benshak Dalop has faulted the 1999 constitution of federal Republic of Nigeria for not capturing the free movement of herders into the country.
Hon Dalop was speaking on the Fulani herdsmen invading communities in all parts of the country in the night to maimed and killed innocent people.
He said Fulani herders don’t own land yet they struggle with landowners over grazing reserve because from the history of Nigeria the freedom of movement didn’t stop from coming into the country.
According to him ,most of Nigeria senators, House of representatives, Governors ,Chairmen including past and present presidents are the owners of these cows which they higher the Fulani herders to rear them on their behalf.
Dalop added that this singular act alone has scare most leaders to contribute positively to the current problem associated with grazing reserve, the law on grazing they refused to checkmate their activities.
The freedom of movement doesn’t restrict the Fulani routes and the state Assembly, House of representative and the Senate vehemently didn’t see the clashes as issue of national concern, he added.
However, Dalop stressed that one of the major problem crippling the country economy is the Fulani /farmers population which is on the increase which is agent of major war.
He explained further, “if Fulani routes are legally demarcated and the Fulani encroach into people farmland to graze their animals then they would be blame for their action but were federal government open allow them to move freely they are seriously posing danger to other human being.
Hon Benshak Dalop lamented that there is no law on ground to stop trans human movement in Africa to prevent Fulani herders so government need to put place laws to tackle it.
He commended governor Simon Lalong for nipping on board the crisis that broke up in the state saying miscreants ,looters should have hijack it and begin killing of innocent people .
