Tinubu lacks understanding of insecurity, says opposition

Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu’s call on herders to end open grazing, surrender illegal weapons, and transition fully to ranching has triggered criticisms from major opposition parties in the country.

In an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, spokespersons for the Labour Party, African Democratic Congress, and Peoples Democratic Party accused the Tinubu administration of pushing “rhetoric,” lacking strategy, and misdiagnosing Nigeria’s security crisis.

The President had, on Wednesday, unveiled a new national livestock plan aimed at curbing the farmer–herder conflict and reducing armed violence in rural communities.

The policy, which forms part of the government’s broader security reforms and the work of the new Ministry of Livestock, also urges herder associations to embrace ranching and cooperate with security agencies.

Tinubu’s directive came amid renewed abductions of students in Niger and Kebbi schools and persistent farmer–herder clashes across the North Central region, where hundreds have been killed in recent months.

But opposition parties say the directive shows that the President misunderstands the nature of Nigeria’s insecurity.

“It is an organised criminal invasion,” said the spokesperson for the LP, Obiora Ifoh.

Ifoh said the insecurity ravaging the country was being perpetrated by terrorists.

“It is a case of terrorists invading the serenity of the nation. It’s not about the herders. Yes, I agree some terrorists disguise as herders, thereby making it difficult for you to isolate or differentiate who is genuinely a herder and who is a terrorist. But it’s the work that government must do.”

Ifoh argued that many of the recent attacks, including school invasions and church assaults, were carried out by armed groups who had nothing to do with cattle rearing.