Catholic Bishops Condemn FG’s Planned Grazing Reserves For Herdsmen

The Bishops, led by the Archbishop of the Province, Most Reverend Matthew Man-Oso-Ndagoso, noted that the government should rather create branches for the herdsmen as it will be more economical for the people.

Most Reverend Matthew Ndagoso said, that the country should do away with the conventional practice of herdsmen roaming the streets across the country, as it has led to violence which has resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

“As Pastors, it is part of our duty to call public attention to the dangers of irresponsible exploitation of our common home, the planet,” the Bishops said.

“In this vein, we strongly propose, for example that, going forward, we must note that the debate about herdsmen is a debate about the future of our human survival, environment and our country.

“We must abandon the old practice of herdsmen moving in droves across the country, especially given the violence it has unleashed on our people.

“Today, the entire communities have been destroyed and the anger in the land is palpable. We are convinced that the only way forward is for the government to arrest this drift of herdsmen and their animals by exploring the option of creating ranches instead of grazing reserves.”

The Bishops stressed that the issue of collective future of Nigerians transcended class, gender, faith or social status, adding that there was no special air for the rich and the poor, men and women or Christian and Muslim.