FG Adopts Ranching To End Herdsmen/Farmers Clash

Herdsman With His Cattle (File Photo)

Ranching The Best Option To End Herdsman-farmers’ Clashes in Nigeria – FG Says

The Federal Government has backtracked on its plan to establish cattle colonies, saying it would now focus on the establishment of ranches as a solution to the long drawn out clashes between herdsmen and farmers in troubled States Naija News understands.

The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd), who made this known in Abuja at a stakeholders’ dialogue on the eradication of herders-farmers conflict in Nigeria, said additional measure put in place by the federal government through his ministry was the setting up of agro rangers.

The minister, speaking via the Deputy Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Mohammed Jega, the minister added that to address the menace, the federal government had not surrendered in its efforts at overcoming the insecurity challenges by proposing to establish cattle ranches.

Danbazau stated that “in order to address the menace, the federal government has not relented its efforts in overcoming the insecurity challenges by proposing to establish cattle ranches. In 1966, the northern regional government of Nigeria initiated one of the first measures to respond to the crisis of herders/farmers by establishing cattle ranches but was abandoned by the previous governments.’’

In his remarks, the Chairman of Presidential Committee on Small and Light Weapons, Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe, said in view of what was happening today, Nigerians must sit together and talk to themselves with open mind to address the insecurity threats confronting the nation.

According to him, “It is as a result of the foregoing as well as the further impact or threat of same that we, as Nigerians, must sit together and talk to ourselves with open minds with a view to critically and constructively diagnosing this raging security threat in order to proffer enduring solution for the consideration of our government.”

He blamed the porous nature of Nigerian border with other West African countries for influx of illegal alliance and smuggling of deadly weapons into the country.