By 
Frank Oshanugor
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Shehu Malami has come under serious attack for condemning the Southern Governors’ recent ban on open grazing.
Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in a statement on Thursday has described the decision to ban open grazing by the Southern Governors as irreversible.
Akeredolu in strong terms has condemned Malami’s position saying it “is anachronistic for the AGF to compare open grazing to sales of spare parts.”
In the Governor’s words, “clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry which is evidently injurious to harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant.”
He continued, “comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange, it annoyingly betrays a terrible mindset.”
The AGF while commenting on the Southern Governors’ Asaba Declaration of May 11, 2021 said that if the South had chosen to ban open grazing in their states, southerners trading in spare parts in the North would also be banned.
As Malami’s position showed no pretence of what the feeling of the North is, with respect to the Southern Governors’ position on open grazing, some Southern elites have lent their voice in condemnation of the AGF’s comments.
Speaking to SECURITY REPORTERS.com on Thursday, a retired Director with one of the nation’s secret security agencies whose name is being withheld for security reasons, said Malami’s statement was capable of triggering off deep rooted animosity or attack against Igbo spare parts dealers in Kano and other places in the North.
While condemning the AGF’s quick reaction via his interview on Channels Television, the top security Chief noted that by virtue of his position as Nigeria’s chief law officer, whatever he says would be taken hook, line and sinker particularly by people of Northern extraction.
According to the ex-service chieftain, what Nigerians need now are not comments that would further create ill feelings that can lead to disintegration.
He advised Malami to learn how to manage what he called “the Fulanisation agenda” of the Buhari administration so that Nigeria does not go up in flames before 2023.
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