Governors Empowered By ECOWAS Protocol To Shut Out Armed Herdsmen – Falana

By GEORGE OKOJIE,

Legal luminary and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has said that state governors are empowered by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol  to shut out armed herdsmen from other countries.

In a statement yesterday, Falana, who was reacting to comments by some government officials on the influx of foreign herdsmen into the country, said the ECOWAS protocol empowered the governors to control entry of armed herders into their states.

He also advised the federal government to prohibit the influx of armed herders into Nigeria.

“With respect, the ECOWAS Protocol A/P.1/5/79 Relating to Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment (Free Movement Protocol) does not permit any form of trans border banditry and illegal possession of arms and ammunition,” Falana said in a statement.

“Instead of seeking a review or an amendment of the Protocol, the Federal Government should take advantage of Article 4 thereof which states that ‘Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 above, Member States shall reserve (the right to refuse admission into their territory any Community citizen who comes within the category of inadmissible immigrant under its laws.

“It is submitted that such restrictive domestic inadmissibility laws allow Nigeria to invoke her domestic laws to deal with the menace of trans border criminality traced to armed herders and bandits.

“One of such domestic laws is the Animal Diseases (Control) Act (Cap. A17) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 that provides for the importation and exportation of animals, surveillance of importation, seizure or destruction of animals, control of trade animals e.t.c. among other things.

“Specifically, the Act states that the importation of any animal, animal products or biologics into Nigeria from any other country by land, sea or air is prohibited except under a permit granted by the Director who in each…