Relief in northern state as herdsmen, farmers hold crucial peace meeting

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- The Jigawa police command has convened a security summit between herdsmen and farmers in the state in order to find solutions to the crisis between both groups

- The police commissioner noted that in order to solve the crisis, the government needs to be proactive instead of reactive in responding to the problem

- The state’s deputy governor was also represented at the summit and disclosed that all reserved areas meant for grazing will soon be retrieved and allocated back to its original purpose

In a bid to find ways to put an end to the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Jigawa, the state police command has held a security summit between both groups, Premium Times reports.

The summit was organized in collaboration with eight local government councils in Jigawa Northeast and Hadejia Emirate councils.

NAIJ.com gathers that the state police commissioner, Bala Senchi, presided over the summit which took place on Wednesday, January 30, at Kirikasamma local council headquarters.

Jigawa Police convenes security summit between farmers, herdsmen

Farmers and herdsmen sit together at the summit (Photo credit: Premium Times)

According to Bala, the attendance showed that people were ready to end the crisis.

He stated: “The crisis control that we always implied will not solve the problems. What will solve the problems is that the government needs to be proactive instead of reactive in responding to the problem."

Also speaking at the event, the state’s deputy governor, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who was represented by the executive secretary, Farmers and Herdsmen Board, Rabiu Miko, stated that the state had witnessed a very high rate of clashes between the farmers and herdsmen.

He urged both groups not to resort to taking matters into their hands.

He stated further: “The state will soon retrieve all reserved areas that are meant for grazing and allocate it back to its original purpose."

The chairman of the Miyatti Allah group in Kirikasamma local government, Wada Maija’a, stated that the crisis had erupted because there was no clear demarcation for grazing and farming in the state.

Abba Umar, chairman, All farmers Association of Nigerian (AFAN), Kafin Hausa local government area, also lamented over the fact that grazing land had been turned into personal farmlands by some politicians.

Umar also urged the government to “nullify the bad habit of grazing at night and using of masks by some herdsmen in the area.”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Oyo state government took a step to proffer a lasting solution to the herdsmen/farmers’ crises which have become a recurring decimal in the state.

The state’s police commissioner, Abiodun Odude, organised a reconciliatory meeting at the police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan where all the stakeholders rubbed minds on the issues.

At the meeting, the head of farmers in Ibarapa local government area of the state, Oyinlola Bolanle, explained why the farmers decided to poison their crops to prevent cattle from destroying them.

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