By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin
Herdsmen migrating to communities in Baruten local government area of Kwara state would, henceforth, be subjected to registration before they would be allowed to settle in any community. The chairman, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC), Alhaji Musa Gobir, who declared this yesterday, however, added that the Council was not “against any Nigerian willing to settle in the area regardless of ethic affiliations as long as they are ready to live peacefully with one another and such person must have traceable identity.”
Baruten local government is an agrarian community that shares boundaries with Republic of Benin and had in recent time witnessed clashes between herdsmen and farmers which left some persons dead.
Fielding questions from reporters in Baruten local government at the sideline of the 15th Gure Day celebration held in the Gure, the TIC chairman said the Council, would also this week convey a security meeting to resolves.
He said the meeting would be attended by the leaders of the Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the state where issues relating to the recent clash with farmers would be resolved amicably.
“Fulani know themselves even if you commit a crime here and run to Sokoko, they know them themselves,” he said.
Gobir said the people of the community “have lived peacefully with herdsmen for over 30 years, some of their children now speak our language,” adding that the measure became necessary in view of the incessant clashes with farmers.
“The problem is not with the owners of the cows but the herdsmen who were entrusted with the care of the cows.”
