By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and others were in September 22nd 2021, accused of trying to export Banditry to other parts of the regions in the country.
The Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum and Governor of Ondo State Barr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, made the observation while he was reacting to earlier statement made by Governors El-Rufai, saying that the anti-open grazing law passed by some southern Governors is not implementable.
Akeredolu described El-Rufai’s attack on him and other Southern Governors as devious and a hysteric ploy to externalise banditry.
A similar statement was echoed by erudite scholar and former deputy Governor of CBN Dr. Obadiah Mailafia of blessed memory when he said the Bandits would move to the southern part of the country after taken possession of the middle Belt region.
A Senator representing Kaduna South, Senator Damjuma La’ah also revibrated a similar remarks recently when he threatened to open up on the Bandits killing Southern Kaduna people, his natives.
Akeredolu, in a statement signed by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo insisted that the anti-open grazing law has come to stay in the Southern region.
The statement published by saharareporters new York of 22nd September 2021, described El-Rufai’s attack on him and other Southern Governors as devious and a hysteric ploy to externalise banditry.
The statement read, “From all indications, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, if he was properly quoted and his views not misrepresented, is struggling hard to export banditry to the South under an expressed opinion that is laced with mischief.
“In these days and times, anyone who makes statements such as that allegedly made by the Governor belongs to a class of an unenviable ilk masquerading as leaders.
“There is no wisdom in condemning/banning open grazing, prohibiting inter border movement of cattle in the North, including Kaduna, with an accompanying disapproval of a Law that gives bite to same, in another part of the country.
“Perhaps, it is apt to state clearly that the likes of Governor El-Rufai are already in a hysteric ‘mode’ of escalating and indeed, externalising banditry, especially as the military onslaught against criminal elements and other terror variants suffices in the North.
“For emphasis, any such comment like that of the Kaduna Governor, if indeed he made that statement, merely seeks to encourage anarchy under the guise ‘of resentment of a Law by affected stakeholders’.
“In order words, it is a cleverly crafted path towards replicating in the South, the most despicable situation in the North that Nigerians of goodwill daily pray to overcome. It’s a ploy beyond the ordinary.
“It must, however, be noted that the Anti-Grazing Law, especially in Ondo State, has come to stay. It shall be zealously guarded and conscionably deployed to protect all residents of Ondo State, notwithstanding their ethnic and religious biases. Those who have nothing evil to perpetrate have nothing to fear as regards the Law.”
El-Rufai had while addressing newsmen after a meeting with officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on a Tuesday described the anti-open grazing law passed by the Southern governors as not implementable, and accused the Governors of politicising the situation.
The solution to all of this, are obvious; the Government, who’s primary constitutional responsibility is to provide security of lives and properties should have a rethink. Social, economic and freedom of expression and the rights of people should also be provided, respected and sustained fundamentally.
