Stakeholders in Nasarawa call on farmers, herders to embrace peace
Stakeholders in Nasarawa State have called on farmers and herders to see themselves as partners, who need to complement each other, rather than being rivals.
The stakeholders made the call at a one-day town hall meeting organised by the Nasarawa State Directorate of National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Friday in Lafia.
The engagement had as its theme, “Mitigating farmers/herders conflict as a pathway to National Cohesion”.
Speaking, NOA State Director, Mr Augustine Akwe-Doma, said that the meeting addressed the pressing issue of farmers and herders conflict in the state.
The NOA director noted that the both farmers and herders, who were supposed to embrace partnership, had allowed resource competition, land ownership, among others to divide them.
He said that the conflicts between farmers and herders had reached a boiling point, threatening the fabric of society.
“We have witnessed loss of lives, destruction of properties, and displacement of communities.
“Farmers lost their crops in the farms; herders, their livestock and families, their loved ones in these conflicts.
“The number of persons, who unfortunately loss their lives due to these conflicts, is not just statistics, they are our neighbours, friends, and fellow citizens,” the director said.
Akwe-Doma emphasised that the solution to the conflicts required a multifaceted approach, hence, the town hall meeting to facilitate understanding and a collective decision to end it.
On his part, Maj.-Gen. Hilary Nzan, Commander of Army 4 Special Forces, Doma, Nasararawa State, represented by Brig.-Gen. Haruna Audu, lauded NOA for the meeting and advised people against taking the law into their own hands.
He emphasised that the military was determined to decisively deal with criminals disturbing the peace in the country under whatever guise.
The commander, however, advised farmers and herders to report to the constituted authorities when their farms or cattle were destroyed for amicable resolutions.
“When issues concerning destruction of either crops or animals are reported, the authority will ensure that the one at fault pays damages or compensation to serve as a deterrent to others,” he added.
Nzan added that food and meat were all important for human survival and growth; as such, farmers and herders should see themselves as partners and not rivals for the overall development of the country.
Also, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Shettima Jauro-Mohammed, represented by DCP Danjuma Raga, said that farmers and herders were key to the country’s food security, hence, the need for them to live in peace.
Jauro-Mohammed emphasised that there would be no food and meat to eat when farmers did not go to farms and herders did not rear livestock.
“Your work is complementary to each other and you are important for the development of the country; so, it does not profit any group when there are conflicts,” he added.
On his part, Mr Esson Meriga, member representing Lafia North at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, commended NOA for organising the meeting.
The lawmaker recalled how farmers and herders in the state used to live in peace, related freely and supported each other and wondered what went wrong.
“Our parents used to offer their farms to herders to stay during the dry season, and when they are living during the rainy season, the cattle’s dung is used as fertiliser in the farms,” he added.
Meriga promised that the assembly would continue to make laws that would support the effort of the state government toward ensuring the sustenance of peace in the state.
Supreme news reports that the meeting had in attendance farmers, herders, leaders of different ethnic groups, representatives of different security agencies, traditional rulers, among others.
The representatives of farmers and herders at the meeting pledged to champion the propagation of peace in their respective areas and to enlighten their people on the discussions at the event.
