Gov Ganduje renews efforts to ending farmer-herder conflict, sets up committee

Kano state governor Abdullahi Ganduje says efforts must be intensified to prevent the movement of small arms as well as to disarm armed pastoralists and bandits who go through the country’s borders.

Ganduje’s remarks come on the heels of a renewed effort to find a sustainable solution to the conflicts between farmers and herders.

Farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria, which were predominantly in the North-Central region, have spread across the country.

The conflicts result in indiscriminate and avoidable loss of lives and properties.

Population growth, climate change, growing social inequalities, and declining trust between communities are some of the factors experts have identified as responsible for the problem.

Efforts by the Federal Government to modernise livestock production through the introduction of cattle settlements to curtail incessant movements met stiff political resistance in parts of the country.

Now, the Kano State Government is making a renewed effort to chart a national cause of action to resolve the problem.

Drawing from the State’s experience in tackling the factors responsible for the farmer-herder conflict, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has come up with a committee to bring stakeholders together to find a sustainable solution.

Leading the committee is the former INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, whose task includes changing the way people view the conflict.

One issue the committee would have to seek solutions to first off may just be the proliferation of small armed and light weapons in the sub-region.

The 27-man committee also have Pro-Chancellor, Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Prof. Jibrila Dahiru Amin, former SSG, Niger state and Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan; Prof. Muhammad Yahaya Kuta, Managing Director, Guardian Newspaper, Mr. Martins -Oloja, Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education; Prof. Bashir Haruna Usman.