The Southern Nigeria People’s Assembly, SNPA, yesterday at the end three day meeting held in Asaba, condemned the proposed Grazing Reserve Bill before the National Assembly describing it as anachronistic, antiquated and unfortunate elevation of what ought to be private commercial ventures into a national or government business.

The group in a statement by its leaders from the three geo-political zones in the South, condemned the recent killings in Enugu State, Benue State and other parts of the country by the herdsmen, they said that the grazing bill portends danger to the nation. They added that the bill will create permanent conflict in the land especially the federal structure which is been practised in Nigeria.

The meeting had in attendance former Vice President Alex Ekwueme (represented by former Anambra State Governor Chukuwuemeka Ezeife); Ijaw National leader, Chief Edwin Clark (represented by Senator Roland Owie); and Senator Femi Okorounmu who stood in for Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi decried the raping and killing of innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting the leaders said “The President should deal decisively with the issue of Fulani herdsmen in the manner government is dealing with the insurgency problem”, stating that “if the killings by these herdsmen go unchecked, it can snowball into another Boko Haram.

They adviced the president to set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate all Fulani herdsmen attacks between May 2015 till date and all those found to be directly or remotely involved in those attacks should be arrested and brought to book.

The Southern leaders also said that the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to begin the implementation of the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference was objectionable.

According to them, the resolutions if implemented may help in resolving many political, socio-economic and security challenges of the country.

They called on Nigerians to support Buhari in his anti-corruption drive, war on insurgency and his effort at reviving ailing industries, advising the president to respect the rule of law, the protection of citizens’ fundamental human rights, the pronouncements of the courts and not to be selective in the war against corruption.