The former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State and Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, has faulted the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, over his statement on the anti-open grazing law being implemented by some states of the Federation.
The minister had on Tuesday last week suggested that the anti-open grazing law be suspended across the country.
Minister Dan Ali made the recommendation during a security meeting President Muhammadu Buhari had with Service Chiefs in Abuja.
He had blamed the enactment and enforcement of the law for the tension in Benue and Taraba states, among others.
However, the former MILAD, on Sunday in Abuja, flayed Dan-Ali’s statement, stressing that the shielding of armed herdsmen by the Federal government is the cause of tension in the country.
He described the statement as an obnoxious directive, urging the Federal government to arrest the killer-herdsmen instead of shielding them, before the country descends into anarchy.
Also at the media parley, where Nkanga made his observation, were Chief Edwin Clark, representing the South-South; Chief Ayo Adebanjo (South-West); Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife (South-East).
Nkanga said: “The shielding of Fulani killer-herdsmen remains the strongest flashpoint of invitation to chaos and anarchy in our country as people would not continue to fold their arms forever as they are being killed with the government unwilling to lift a finger in their defence.
“We demand the immediate withdrawal of Mansur Dan-Ali’s obnoxious directive and for the Federal government to stop the killings going on and promptly arrest those behind the killings so far for immediate prosecution.”