The Kano state governor, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, has appointed former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega to head a 27-member committee to organize a national conference on reforms in the livestock sector and attendant issues.
This is coming as a determination to put an end to the persistent bitter conflict between sedentary farmers and nomadic herdsmen in Nigeria.
The 27-man committee also has Pro-Chancellor, Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Prof. Jibrila Dahiru Amin; former Secretary to the Niger State Government and Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Muhammad Yahaya Kuta; Managing Director, Guardian Newspaper, Mr. Martins Oloja; Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education, Prof. Bashir Haruna Usman; and, Managing Director L&Z Integrated Farms Ltd, M. D. Abubakar.
Others are Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Arch. Kabiru Ibrahim; former Food and Agriculture Organization FAO Representative in Nigeria, Rabe Isah Mani; Usman Danfodio University don, Sokoto; Prof. Aminu Ibrahim Daneji; and, another professor from the Department of Sociology, Bayero University, Kano BUK, Prof. Isma’ila Zango, among others while the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, serves as secretary of the committee.
Inaugurating the committee on Thursday in Abuja, the governor said it is tasked to “work towards planning and organizing a befitting national conference on Farmers-Herders conflict in Nigeria and to select appropriate theme for the conference, select chairman, paper presenters/speakers, panelists, special guest(s) of honour, guests of honour, other dignitaries and delegates for the conference, as well as appropriate date and venue for the event”.
The committee is to also provide adequate publicity before, during and after the event, submit a report on the conference with observations and recommendations for appropriate action and examine the ECOWAS Protocol pertaining to the movement of cattle across member countries of the sub-region.
The governor noted that the decision by his administration to host a national conference on “Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria” underscores the recognition that the primary business of government is law and order.
He recalled that in 2019, the federal government launched a 10-year National Livestock Transformation Plan to curtail the movement of cattle, boost livestock production and control the country’s deadly herder-farmer conflict, “but inadequate political leadership, delays, funding uncertainties and a lack of expertise derailed the project, while the COVID-19 pandemic intensified the challenges.
“It is regrettable that deficient political leadership, popular misperceptions about its purpose and widespread insecurity hindered its progress”, he noted.
According to Ganduje, the move by the federal government to establish the Ruga Settlement-which was received out of misconception with mass criticisms, resulted in the suspension of the project in which contracts had already been awarded.
“There is also a clear sense which I think must be appreciated, that the federal government cannot dictate to states what to do with their land.
“This is so because the Land Use Act of 1978 puts land under the control of governors on behalf of their states.
“Even for use of federal lands in the states according to the Supreme Court, building or development control permit must be sought from the governors of the states.
“I am a strong proponent of restriction of herders’ movements into Nigeria from neighbouring countries as part of solution to tackling herder/farmer clashes.
“However, another issue worth taking into account is the ECOWAS Transhumance Protocol which Nigeria signed in 1998.
“This guarantees free movement to pastoralists, herders across the sub-region. As signatories to that Protocol, Nigeria is obliged not to restrict the movement of herders and their cattle from other ECOWAS countries. This is an issue to be looked into.
“This has added a further complication to the problems we already have, besides most foreign herdsmen are exposed to the firearms market and are unknown to the local farming populace.”
On efforts to resolve the conflict in Kano, he said; “We started by mobilizing security agencies and hence the formation of a Police Anti-Cattle Rustling Squad, Ambush Squad and Tactical Observation points along the Falgore Forest.
“The police teams were deployed to Tundun Wada, Doguwa and Sumaila local government areas of the state, and were given all the support they need to arrest the rustlers and prevent further loss of cattle in the state.
“A military formation was also established in the forest to further reinforce the police effort, in addition to the construction of four prototype security dormitories at Kano entrances that included rearing industry from socio-cultural to socio-economic venture.
“It also aimed at putting an end to the persistent wandering of herdsmen and also help expand them economically.
“The Kano State bureau of statistics has undertaken a statistic of all herdsmen in Kano for planning purposes.”
Ganduje, however, called for more collaboration with neighbours in the Chad Basin, especially border communities to prevent the movement of small arms, and disarming armed pastoralists and bandits who go through borders day after day.
Responding, Jega expressed concern over the politicisation of the farmers-herders conflict assured that the outcome of the proposed national conference would proffers lasting solution to the issue.
