The Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association (ACIPA) have condemned the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) for rejecting the proposal of state police.

President of ACIPA, Reverend Luka Shehu, who made the condemnation at a press briefing in Jos, said the ACF position amounted to double standards, having been the proponent of Sharia Hisbah police, while rejecting a secular police state.

He said Nigeria needed state police to arrest the spate of insecurity, adding that his association also rejected every aspect of the proposed open grazing reserve bill for herdsmen.

According to him, “the Federal Government has no business acquiring land for herdsmen, and that any state with indigenous herdsmen, who desires to promote open grazing as a means of business, should allow individuals purchase land for such purpose in their state.

“Nigeria is not among the top twenty nations in global cattle business, not among the top beef-exporting countries, not among the top exporters, not among the nations with top cattle inventory. None of the nations with cattle practise primitive cattle grazing or have cattle colonies like the herdsmen of Nigeria.

He further stated that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association could not dictate to any Middle Belt State government the law to enact to protect their citizens, and therefore called on Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and his counterparts not to compromise their people’s destiny and land by foot dragging on enacting such law.

While condemning the use of security apparatus to intimidate or harass clerics and Nigerians against the style of present leadership in the country, he alleged that there was an attempt recently to arrest Prophet Isa El-Buba, in Jos.

Tribune