The 36 state governors, under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), have unanimously stressed the need for the country to transit into modern systems of animal husbandry that will replace open, night and underage grazing in the country.
The resolution was adopted at the just concluded 25th Teleconference meeting chaired by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.
“State Governments are encouraged to put in place systems to accelerate the grazing initiative of the National Livestock Transformation Plan and ranching in the country.
“The Forum respects the right of abode of all Nigerians and strongly condemns criminality and the ethnic profiling of crime in the country in an effort to frame the widespread banditry and the herders/farmers crisis.
“In the light of the economic and security risks that have arisen from these circumstances, the Forum resolved to urgently convene an emergency meeting of all governors,” the communiqué signed by the NGF Chairman stated.
In the same vein, Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State who gave an update on steps taken by the Governors of the 19 Northern states, cautioned against the tagging of ethnic groups based on the misbehaviour of a few criminally minded individuals.
He, therefore, called on the governors to address the matter in their various states.
Meanwhile, Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has advocated a ban on the relocation of herdsmen from the North to Southern parts of the country.
The governor argued that such restriction would douse tension and stop attacks and reprisals.
Ganduje spoke in an interview with the BBC, claiming that some herders are from outside Nigeria.
Ganduje also listed “three categories” of Fulani: The Fulani people, the herders, and foreign Fulani herders involved in criminal acts.
“The moment a foreign Fulani herder invades Nigeria and commits a crime, he would be considered as Nigerian Fulani. We need to stop them from entering Nigeria,” he said.
“Secondly, herders travelling from the North to South should be banned. Those saying they should not be banned from trekking to the southern part of the country for grazing should use their children.”
Noting that grazing is a national issue, Ganduje urged the National Assembly to come up with a bill to resolve recurring farmer-herder clashes.