No one permitted to trespass on another person’s land, says Ekiti lawmaker, Bamidele

Wants govs to be allowed to take charge of security
The lawmaker, representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District at the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, yesterday, said that no law in the country permitted anyone to trespass on another person’s land.

Bamidele, who stated this against the backdrop of the pervasive farmers-herders clashes, said that governors must be allowed to take charge of security in their localities.

He urged the Federal Government to be patriotic enough to deal with those causing insecurity in the nation.

The Senate Committee on Judiciary chairman said time had come for Nigerians to allow patriotic spirit to guide them in arresting and prosecuting those suspected to be killers, land invaders, kidnappers and rapists associated with kidnapping and farmers-herdsmen clashes across the country.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, in a statement entitled “General Insecurity in Nigeria and Matters Arising” and made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, said that the Land Use Act clearly spelt out ways lands could be acquired in the country.

He said that though he was against the culture of ethnic profiling in the farmers-herders’ clashes creating tension in the country, he however, insisted that this should not dissuade the patriots from speaking the truth about the matter.

“The war against insecurity must be taken to every section of this country and our governors must be allowed to take charge of security in their localities. Criminals trespassing on people’s lands must be punished. They have to be cautioned because there is no patriotic spirit in people constituting security threat to other citizens.

“Let no one be afraid of being called a tribalist. This is the time to speak out the truth in the interest of Nigeria.

“The insecurity in the country is no longer about the Fulani and Ibo, Yoruba, Kanuri or about North-East or South-West, but about Nigeria.

“This is the time that patriotic spirit that lives in all of us must guide us. Section 43 of the 1999 Constitution grants all of us the rights to own property anywhere in the country, but this is different from ownership of lands.

“Land Use Act clearly spelt out ways lands can be acquired by government, corporate body or individual. Though I have the right to own property anywhere in the country, but I have no right to trespass on the land belonging to anyone.

“I am happy that government at all levels and individuals are suggesting ways to end farmers-herdsmen’s clashes, but it is not the right of anyone to trespass on the lands of anyone.”