Politics
Lt.-Gen. Abdulraman Danbazau, rtd, minister of interior, has reiterated the commitment of the federal government to seek lasting solution towards ending incessant herders-farmers clashes in the country.
Danbazau, represented by Ahmed Mohammed Jega, deputy commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, gave this commitment at a two-day National Stakeholders Forum which began in Abuja on Wednesday.
The forum which attracted policy makers and security operatives was organized by the Alumni Association of the National Institute, AANI, in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, PRESCOM, to proffer solutions to the bloody confrontations between herdsmen and farmers across the country.
Danbazau noted that the gathering was “apt and timely at this material time when our nation suffers from serious and disturbing security challenges due to farmers-herders conflict.
“As you know that, the frequency of herders-farmers conflict here, like in other places is owing to several factors such as population increase, ecological factors; climate change, scarcity of food and water insufficiency amongst others.
“Many of the actors in these conflicts are farmers and herdsmen but the most affected are women and children. This is often the trend in any conflict scenario and has also displaced several people from their original homes, causing serious security challenges,” Danbazau said.
Khaleel Bolaji, AANI president, stated that the forum was organised to foster an understanding of the nature of the farmers-herders conflict, identify factors responsible for its escalation and suggest strategic options to resolve them.
“It is our hope that by the end of this dialogue, practical recommendations that will assist governments at all levels, policymakers, security agencies as well as other key stakeholders to find ways of addressing this menace and bring about sustainable peace and economic development will emerge,” Bolaji said.
Emmanuel Imohe, chairman PRESCOM, observed that once protagonists of conflicts have access to deadly weapons, they become less interested in embracing other conflict-resolution alternatives, but would rather seek to use such weapons to define their own space.
He fingered the long porous borders, the preponderance of local craft manufacturers and artisans whose skills in arms production have improved over the years, as well as leakages from official stockpiles not only in Nigeria but in other ECOWAS member States as factors responsible for access to small arms and light weapons by herders and farmers.
Aliyu Modibbo, chairman at the occasion, was confident that discussions will bring useful recommendations to arrest the menace. He urged the organisers of the forum to pass their recommendations to the government.
“The mere fact that we’re seated here does not guarantee that our recommendations will be implemented. But we have to do all we can to see them through because Nigeria belongs to all of us,” Modibo stressed.
– Apr. 18, 2018 @ 18:55 GMT
AE
Tags: FG Doing Its Best to arrest Herders-Farmers Conflict - Danbazau
