The Senate on Wednesday called on the Minister of Defence, Masur Ali, to withdraw his statement calling for the suspension of the anti-grazing law in some states.
The lawmakers said the enactment of the law is not the reason for the killings going on in several parts of Nigeria.
On Tuesday, Mansur Dan Ali, in a statement, called for the suspension of the implementation of the anti-grazing law. He said the suspension will reduce the tension in troubled states.
His call came shortly after a security meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Coming under order 42 and 52, Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue North East) expressed disappointment at the minister’s statement as he asked that the minister to withdraw it.
Making reference to an attack in his senatorial district two days ago where about seven people were killed and many others wounded, Barnabas Gemade said the state is “under siege by gunmen.
He stressed that farmers and herders need the land but there should be a way where a law will be enacted to ensure that one person is using the land according to law.
Also expressing disappointment with the minister’s statement, John Eno (PDP, Cross River Central) described it as “unfortunate” and called on the security agencies as well as the federal government to look beyond the anti-grazing law.
The Senate, thereafter, called on the Defence Minister to withdraw his statement on his call for the withdrawal of the anti-grazing laws in Benue and Taraba States “as the laws were properly enacted in accordance with the powers of the state Houses of Assembly.”
The federal government and other security agencies had been accused of neglecting and poorly handling the killings in the troubled states.
