Insecurity: Tambuwal Canvasses Review Of ECOWAS Protocol
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state, has called for an immediate review of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol on free movement to check the influx of foreign herders into the country.
Tambuwal said that since Nigeria is having serious problem with the protocol, it calls for review, stressing that ECOWAS, particularly Nigeria must find a way of stopping the movement.
He also said that following the alarms being raised over the negative role foreign herders are playing in the insecurity challenges facing the nation, it is time to review the ECOWAS protocol to safe Nigeria from disintegrating.
ECOWAS in 1979 adopted the protocol to aid free movement between West African countries in order to foster regional integration and development.
But speaking during a Television Continental (TVC) programme at the weekend, Tambuwal said West African leaders must review the ECOWAS protocol as Nigeria currently problem with it.
In the words of Tambuwal; “We need to go back to the protocol of ECOWAS because it is established that a number of these herders are coming from across other West African countries.
“So, we need to go back and recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari. We need to go back to the ECOWAS protocol, to convene a meeting of ECOWAS and review it.
“We, as a country, have a problem with the protocol, so review it. We must find a way of stopping this movement,” he said.
Tambuwal further noted that the protocol has made it possible for herdsmen to come into Nigeria from as far as Central Africa, saying that the crisis associated with the protocol is affecting everybody.
In his words; “We need to rejig it and see where there are issues and address them”.
