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Insecurity: FG To Review ECOWAS Protocol On Cattle Movement
As part of efforts to address challenges of insecurity, the Federal Government says works are underway on the amendment of the ECOWAS Protocols on free movement of human and cattle within countries in the sub-region.
Speaking when he featured on Channels Television programme, “Sunrise Daily’’ on Saturday, Information and culture minister Lai Mohammed, said most of the bandits and criminal herdsmen terrorising the country are foreigners.
He said the criminal herdsmen could enter and exit the country through its land border at will with little or no hindrance because of the ECOWAS Protocol that allows trans-human movement.
“The ECOWAS Protocols allows trans-human between all the ECOWAS countries.
“That is why we are thinking of seriously reviewing the ECOWAS Protocols in that respect.
“What we find out today is that a lot of criminalities have been introduced through the herdsmen and trans-human,’’ he said.
He said the criminal herdsmen and bandits also have access to sophisticated weapons because of the proliferation and smuggling of small arms and light weapons across the sub-region.
He added that the status and natural endowment of countries that surround Nigeria has exceedingly hampered Nigeria’s development.
“The issue of smuggling of small and light arms is a very serious one and it has to do with border control.
“If you go and build a house in the slum as a rich man, poor people will not allow you to rest.
“Nigeria is surrounded by countries that are either poor or land-locked,’’ he said.
The minister added: “We say we want to develop our local agriculture to ensure food sufficiency, by encouraging our farmers to grow rice, maize, cassava and stop importation of rice.
“But our neighbor, the Benin Republic says no, because they make their living from the duties they collect from their ports.
“So, when we are charging 70 percent duties on imported rice to discourage importation, they will charge five percent.
“All the rice smugglers from Thailand and the rest of the world will come to Benin Republic, but the rice is destined for the Nigerian market,’’ he said.
Mohammed said the security challenges including farmer-herders clashes, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the country did not start during the administration.
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