Stakeholders call on herders to stop grazing for farmers’ crops

FULANI herders in Benue State have been advised to stop grazing to allow farmers to harvest their agricultural produce, thus leading to clashes between them and farmers.

This was unanimously decided by those involved at a peace meeting convened by the Benue State Government together with the Benue State Police and other security agencies in Makurdi at the weekend.

Addressing those present, the state Police Commissioner, Paul Yakadi, pointed out that the tensions gradually building up between the herders and the farmers would be resolved if the herders stopped grazing and allowed the farmers to harvest their produce.

Mr. Yakadi also appealed to Fulani herdsmen and farmers leaders to be at the forefront of peace efforts for their youth.
Retired Colonel Edwin Jando, Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Security, while addressing the meeting, lamented that the influx of herdsmen into the state was becoming worrying and that there was a need to draw the attention of their leaders to the situation before they unleash a new wave of destruction.

O’chi Agatu advised that regular meetings on peace and security should be held between the two interest groups to eliminate grey areas and thus prevent an escalation of anger.

Responding on behalf of the Fulani herdsmen, Ado Lawal promised to honour the terms of the agreement reached at the meeting so that peace could prevail, stressing that the Fulani could not continue to live in crisis with the people they have remained together with over the years.

The state government has also advised people in rural areas to avoid the temptation to live in scattered houses and instead try to live in clustered settlements for easier accessibility to rural development projects.

The Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Rural Development and Cooperatives Department, Hon. Tsenongo Abancha, lamented that it becomes difficult to enable rural dwellers to lead meaningful lives by building rural roads and providing electricity, water and other social amenities when the houses of the dwellers are scattered.

“Our rural development model is all-inclusive so that our youths in rural areas can stay where they are to undertake meaningful activities instead of moving to cities. That is why we are calling on people to settle in groups,” Abancha noted.