On farmers, herders’ persistent conflicts…

When Vice President Yemi Osinbajo started a series of national consultations with groups aimed at finding lasting solutions to the perennial conflicts between farmers and herders in some parts of the country, his action is seen in some quarters as rather late.
Still, his action is better taken now than never. So, it’s gratifying that the Vice President had a meeting with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; the Lamido of Adamawa, Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa; elder statesman, Malam Ahmed Joda and leaders of the Fulani communities.
In his subsequent meetings, he would focus on other interest groups, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande, said in a statement in Abuja.
During the meeting, previous reports on the conflicts were presented by the delegation and causes of the conflict were analysed. Naturally, those in attendance at the meeting condemned conflicts, especially the killing of children and women, and highlighted the need for law enforcement agencies to perform their constitutional roles diligently.
Speaking at the meeting, the Vice President assured the delegation that the federal government was committed to entrenching lasting peace in all communities across the country and the resolution of all legitimate grievances.
“There is nothing much more important now in showing our leadership beyond preventing tragedy and destruction of everything we have built as a nation” Osinbajo said. “The entire Nigeria enterprise is bigger than other interests. The overall objective is ensuring that our nation is not enveloped by another crisis. We now have an opportunity to do something. We have the opportunity to resolve the issues and to build a nation, where we and our children can live in peace.”
Of course, there’s no gain in saying that the need to crack down on criminals, who often disguise themselves as farmers and herders, is long overdue. For too long, these groups of criminals have rendered some sections of the country, especially in Benue, Plateau and Taraba states, almost ungovernable, caused many to be homeless and brought about hardships and economic dislocations.
However, for the nation to be successful in this all-important crusade against violence, the following questions must be addressed by the authorities. How and from where do these violent farmers and herders easily acquire the arms they use in perpetrating violence? Why is the conflict between the feuding parties a recent phenomenon in our national life? Crucially, why do farmers clash with herdsmen?
If the questions can be answered and the people agree to cooperate with security agencies, then about half of the job can be considered done for if people can expose criminals among them, the law and security agents can handle them.
Though, it must be said that Nigeria appears to be acting slowly and behind time on some issues like the current challenges posed by cattle rustlers which were predicted few decades ago. A study commissioned by the UNO, which researched on the Sahel Savannah of West Africa in 1983, discovered that that there would be huge conflicts in the savannah region due to the effects of climate change.
The report specifically said the conflict would be between cattle breeders and farmers and proffered solutions to the predicted conflicts. Unfortunately, as it now seems, Nigeria either did not take the study serious or ignored the UNO’s report.
For either reason, the situation became a double tragedy for Nigeria when the anticipated conflicts became fuelled and exacerbated by the easiness of the feuding groups to acquire arms, considered even more sophisticated to those in possession of the country’s security agents.
While the issues of growing cattle population and effects of climate change on the availability of water and forage crops have also been left unaddressed by the authorities, the conflicts are aided by unemployment of the youths. Of course, it is easy to know the reason why people can devise means, albeit illegally, to fend for themselves.
Happily, the Buhari-led administration appears to be serious in its effort to implement its social investment programmes now operational in all states of the federation and the FCT, and create direct and indirect jobs for the nation’s teeming unemployed youth.
But, most importantly, the present administration must address the problems of growing cattle population and effects of climate change on the availability of water, especially in the conflict-prone areas in the country.

Leave a Reply