Farmers-herders crisis: Forum demands resolution commission

Stakeholders at a conference in Abuja on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to immediately set up a Peace and Conflict Resolution Commission to address the protracted farmers-herders crisis in the country. They also urged the government to strengthen security arrangements to make both farmers and herders feel safe. They however said the proposal for grazing […]

Stakeholders at a conference in Abuja on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to immediately set up a Peace and Conflict Resolution Commission to address the protracted farmers-herders crisis in the country.

They also urged the government to strengthen security arrangements to make both farmers and herders feel safe.

They however said the proposal for grazing reserves should be embraced, beginning with consenting states.

The recommendations are contained in a communiqué of a two-day conference organized by The Nation Newspapers and TV Continental (TVC) News in Abuja.

The session attended by representatives of farmers’ groups, cattle breeders and herders, traditional rulers, state governments, security agencies and members of the diplomatic community among others also want the revitalization of river basin authorities.

The communiqué, which was read by Dr. Kayode Samuel, said: “The Summit was conceived as an open forum to promote frank exchange of ideas on burning issues of national and international concern, with particular regard to the herdsmen-farmers clashes across the country, with a view to seeking workable and enduring solutions.

“Government should set up a Federal Peace and Conflict Resolution Commission.

“There is a need to strengthen security arrangements to make both farmers and herders feel safe and to isolate the criminal elements.”

According to the communiqué, three discussants of the keynote address, Prof. Biodun Adeloye, Prof. N.A. Gworgwor and Dr. Eustace Iyayi in their perspectives stressed the need to modify nomadism to the advantage of the practitioners and counselled that the nomad needs to combine tilling with nomadism by producing crops like maize on which to nurture their herd.