Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has said under the Land Use Act, the Federal Government has no control over land outside the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria.

He said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme in reaction to the committee approved by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to review 368 grazing routes across 25 states in Nigeria.

According to Falana, “As far as the law is concerned, the President cannot, with profound respect, be looking for grazing routes in 2021 Nigeria. The Northern Governors’ Forum, Southern Governors’ Forum, Miyetti Allah and other stakeholders have come to the conclusion that open grazing is obsolete and no longer relevant.”

He said the President cannot impose any land policy on states, adding that “the land in every state in Nigeria is vested in the governor on behalf of the people.”

“Under the Land Use Act, the Federal Government has no control over land in Nigeria outside the Federal Capital Territory, and I think that has to be made very clear.”

He recalled that in 2018, the Federal Government came up with a policy called the National Livestock Transformation Plan, including ranching which he said has been adopted by the 36 state governments.

He added that fund has also been allocated to states who have started the implementation of the policy.


“One then wonders where the idea of grazing routes or reserves is coming from,” he said.

“If the state governments have adopted and are already investing in the ranching policy of the Federal Government which has given money to one state(Katsina), what is required under the constitution since there is equality before the law, is that the Federal Government has to make available to each states N6.25bn like it has been made available to Katsina State so that ranching can begin in earnest in the country. That would solve this problem once and for all.

“So, the Federal Government has to go back to its own policy which is the National Livestock Transformation Plan. We can’t go back to the policy of the 60s which was applicable under the colonial regime.”


Falana said the committee tasked with the review of grazing routes in Nigeria needs to check to see if its move is in “consonant with the Land Use Act which is the law that guides land management in Nigeria today.”

“Under that law, the Federal Government cannot impose any land policy on any state government in Nigeria.”

On forest reserves, Falana said such are the business of state governments, adding that the Federal Government is in agreement as announced by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He said, “Majority of the state governments in Nigeria have in place valid and subsisting forestry laws. The Ondo State government has a forestry law under which it is a criminal offence for anybody to commit trespass on the forest reserves of the state government without authorisation, and that is the position with many state governments.”

On the issue of foreigners posing as herders in forests, the human rights lawyer stated that no protocol of the Economic Community of West African States allows foreigners to operate illegally in member states.

He said, “With respect to ECOWAS, again I want to appeal to Nigerians to appreciate that there is no protocol of the ECOWAS that allows illegal movement of persons and goods in the region. What you have in place is the protocol of free movement of persons and goods of establishment.

“Articles 3 and 4 of the protocol allow each member state of the ECOWAS to guide its borders so there is no unrestrained influx of foreigners. So, you cannot enter any member state of ECOWAS without a passport. You must have your travelling document before you can be admitted into any country in West Africa.

“So, let nobody give the impression that because of the ECOWAS protocol of free movement, anybody can just enter Nigeria. You must show evidence that you are coming into the country. And if you are bringing animals, you are bringing them under the Diseases Act of the Federal Government. The animals being brought in must be examined to ensure they are not bringing in diseases to the country. That is the law.

“It is our duty and responsibility to draw the attention of the government to its duty under the law. Let nobody give you the impression that anybody can move cattle from Niger, Mali or Senegal without the examination of the animal and without the production of travelling document.”

When asked to state the government agency assigned to enforce such laws, Falana said, “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is empowered to implement the provisions of the Animal Diseases Act. The Immigrations and Customs departments are empowered by law to man and ensure that nobody enters Nigeria without a travelling document.”


https://punchng.com/grazing-routes-under-land-use-act-fg-only-controls-fct-says-falana/

Mmmm

.

And he is very landlocked there, that's why he is trying to steal lands while his zombies are accusing others.

The truth by Falana... unfortunately, PMB supporters and their shortsighted internet warriors will avoid this thread

Buhari is nothing,but a mumu man. Na just initial gragra him dey do. There will be no grazing reserve in Southern states.
He can cry all he wants,but we are not giving an inch of our tribes land to his dirty bastard brothers.
God damn marauding terrorist!

God may have allowed Buhari to ascend government in order to teach Nigerians a lesson.Buhari did all his impunity and lawlessness in 1983-85 till he was removed from govt without operating with the Nigerian constitution.Now he is back in a worst form.

With all the economic downturn, poor standards of living, widespread deteriorating insecurity, poor rating on indices of economic, governance and human development, all Buahri is obsessed with is creating RUGA/NLTP, Water Regulation Bill, grazing reserves, Creating Radio Fulani and shielding them from justice, cattle matters(as if it is a national policy).Why did Nigeria cursed itself by going to resurrect such a plague? What a pity.

If the president can apply the swiftness in which he is employing to create grazing route in other pressing economy issues Nigerian would have not been this bad.
People think the president is slow but that only when it has notting to do with Fulani or his personal interest .

The northern fulani elites would never want to hear these.....it's a plain truth but they just want a crisis in Nigeria where the 2023 elections will be put on hold due to security issues.
May God help this country!

Ll

Sometimes, I wonder if bihari and his advisers go to school at all. Somebody have to remind them always of what the law said. Too bad.

What kind of advice is malami giving buhari

Lalasticlala.

Toh.
Wahala for who get land for FCT be dat

Thank You FAO-FALANA AKEREDOLU & ORTOM. GOD BLESS THE THREE OF U.

Charge and bail lawyer will you keep quiet, your words are inconsequential




North 2023
All souths take note

Bubu wan make DSC Aladja, Sapele grazing route too? Bubu just dey behave like ogbologbo.

Lalasticlala una dooo.

Malami is the one advising Buhari on legal matters

Malami

The one that equated motor part sellers to killer Fulani herdsmen

Just always expect the presidency not to have sense in anything concerning cows and you will be ok

sapientia:
Malami is the one advising Buhari on legal matters

Malami

The one that equated motor part sellers to killer Fulani herdsmen

Just always expect the presidency not to have sense in anything concerning cows and you will be ok

Dem just wan put Naija for war and dem go run go London and obodo oyinbo.

Hmmmm free legal lectures to buhari and his advisors by Falana

ComrdDRS1:
Hmmmm free legal lectures to buhari and his advisors by Falana

Lol.

Only Nyesom wike understands Nigerian law, every other person is just trying to please Buhari.

Coldie:
Only Nyesom wike understands Nigerian law, every other person is just trying to please Buhari.

Na lawyer im be

[quote author=Racoon post=105093202][/quote]

Our Presido be analog.

I for say bros dey say Sapele water with wetin he dey hold on to grazing route.

for me, Ruga or Grazing route means two things:

(1) To end Nigeria: This is because, you can not important Fulani population from other Africa country with Nigeria money to occupy our land and even influence our election to swinge or gain more vote. This is the best time for indigenous ethnic nationality to ask for the break up of the Nigeria state via protest and legal means.

(2) To end Fulani: With this option, the federal government of Nigeria have given the indigenous ethnic nationality of Nigeria the opportunity to end the fulani people for all the atrocities they have committed against the indigenous people of the Nigeria state, by given an area of land to the Fulani people. This means that attack and of genocider tendency can easily be carried out against the Fulani in mass approach, as they are all concentrate in a particular formation of land a.k.a Ruga or Grazing route. They make for a soft target for indigenous ethnic nationality that the Fulani have been killing for year. This is actually a welcomed development if you really want revenge for your love once that the Fulani have attacked and kill in the past

obehi247:
1

Number 1?

ogododo:

Number 1?

was a mistake and i have made the needed correction

obehi247:

was a mistake and i have made the needed correction

No wahala tuale!

obehi247:
for me, Ruga or Grazing route means two things:

(1) To end Nigeria: This is because, you can not important Fulani population from other Africa country with Nigeria money to occupy our land and even influence our election to swinge or gain more vote. This is the best time for indigenous ethnic nationality to ask for the break up of the Nigeria state via protest and legal means.

(2) To end Fulani: With this option, the federal government of Nigeria have given the indigenous ethnic nationality of Nigeria the opportunity to end the fulani people for all the atrocities they have committed against the indigenous people of the Nigeria state, by given an area of land to the Fulani people. This means that attack and of genocider tendency can easily be carried out against the Fulani in mass approach, as they are all concentrate in a particular formation of land a.k.a Ruga or Grazing route. They make for a soft target for indigenous ethnic nationality that the Fulani have been killing for year. This is actually a welcomed development if you really want revenge for your love once that the Fulani have attacked and kill in the past

De mata taya me oo, why FG de defending one against all others?

ogododo:


No wahala tuale!

same here

ogododo:


De mata taya me oo, why FG de defending one against all others?

fulani over the years have been bitting more than they can chew