From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Governors of Katsina and Nasarawa states, Aminu Masari and Abdullahi Sule have proffered solutions to the unresolved crises between herders and farmers.
While Masari suggested the creation of special courts for quick resolution of conflicts, Sule said both farmers and herders should learn to forgive one another.
They spoke, yesterday, in Abuja at a national conference on the management of farmers/herders’ relations, organised by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, NEEM Foundation and Karuna Centre for Peace-building.
The former House of Representatives speaker Represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Security Matters, Ibrahim Katsina also proposed full integration of traditional rulers in the architecture of state reforms, especially in the area of adequate funding, to enable them function effectively.
He added that the controversial Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) would go a long way in mitigating existential problems as pastoralists would have lands to graze without cattle encroaching on people’s farmlands.
He contended that the teething problems between herders and farmers that were ignored over the years snowballed into armed bandits ravaging the country.
Sule, represented by his Deputy, Emmanuel Akabe, said: “For survival, we need food before we talk about survival.
“The consequences of farmers and herders’ clashes are many. The clash is a disease we must cure. We must treat it once and for all. We must learn to forgive one another.”
Executive Director of Neem Foundation, Fatima Akilu, said the organisation would continue to advance the course of peace.
Akilu explained that the Protecting Our Communities Initiative (POCI) is implemented in 18 communities across six local government areas in Kaduna, Zamfara and Benue states.