The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has lambastetd Garba Shehu over his comments on open grazing ban by Southern governors.

HURIWA said the Senior Special Assistant on Media to President Muhammadu Buhari has degraded the office of Nigerian President with his comments.

Recall that the president’s spokesman via a statement on Monday, tackled the southern governors for banning open grazing in the region.

Recall also that the governors under the aegis of Southern Nigerian Governors Forum, during it’s recent meeting in Asaba the Delta State capital, resolved to ban open grazing in the region as a means of curbing the incessant clash between farmers and Fulani herdsmen.

But Shehu, in the statement, said the resolve was of “questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) – regardless of the state of their birth or residence.”

Reacting, the Rights Writers described the the presidency’s claim as “scandalous and parochialism”.

HIRIWA said Garba Shehu has used his public office to speak for “Fulani herdsmen since the present administration came on board in 2015”.

“It is unprecedented in the political annals of Nigeria that a political office holder picked by the president elected by all Nigerians, to be used consistently as the public relations officer of the ethnicity and religious platforms of both himself and his boss who holds office on behalf of the entire Nigerians”, HURIWA stated.

The group also carpeted Garba Shehu for “shamelessly siding with Miyetti Allah Cattle Dealers against the considered and well thought out proposal of 17 governors of Southern Nigeria who spoke on behalf of over 80 million citizens of Nigeria to ban open grazing of livestocks in a lasting bid to stop the incessant unprovoked attacks of farmers by some armed Fulani herdsmen”.

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