Northern youths divided over open grazing ban

Youths in the north are divided over the recent resolution of southern governors banning open grazing.

While the Northern Youth Leaders’ Forum (NYLF) backed the ban, Arewa Youth Assemble (AYA) described it as totally unacceptable.

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The NYLF, during its 27th delegate conference in Adamawa State at the weekend, also called for establishment of herders’ commission.

National Chairman, NYLF, Elliot Afiyo, frowned at the opposition by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to the ban on open grazing.

“We want to state clearly that open grazing has been the greatest threat to the environment of the northern region and also a major threat to security of lives and property in the entire country”.

Afiyo urged the Federal Government to consider the call for open grazing ban in the interest of the nation.

AYA condemns open grazing ban

But the speaker, AYA, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, at a press conference in Kaduna on Sunday, said the Asaba declaration that banned the open grazing of cattle was totally unacceptable.

He urged northern governors, northern elite, traditional rulers and youth organisations to checkmate activities of southerners residing in the north

He alleged that illegal activities such as cybercrimes, ritual, highway robbery, kidnapping, among others brought to “our peaceful region by the southerners” were the propelling force of insecurity in the north that had resulted in the backwardness of Northern Nigeria, loss of property and precious and promising lives.

“Banning open grazing is automatically putting a stop to all these benefits and termination of many people’s source of livelihoods,” he said

He called on the Federal Government to protect the lives and property of the genuine cattle rearers going about their legal business in the south.

“If the southern governors’’ will continue with the Asaba declarations, then we’ll be compelled to redefine the activities of southerners residing in the north,” he stressed.