President Bola Tinubu says his government is committed to ending herders/farmers’ reoccurring clashes, urging governors to provide land for herders to graze their cattle.
Mr Tinubu made this call while commissioning Niger State agro project in Minna.
“I know what it means for roaming cows to eat crops and the vegetation of our land. I know it is painful. But when we re-orient the herder and make provision for cattle rearing, we can address that,” Mr Tinubu said.
He added, “You are the governors who are to provide us with land. I, as President, am committed to providing a comprehensive programme that will solve this problem.”
Farmers/herder clashes have lingered for decades, resulting in intermittent bloodshed in Benue, Plateau, and some southern states.
Moves by former President Muhammadu Buhari to secure land for herders across the country were vehemently opposed by Southern governors, who feared herders constitute security threats to their respective states.
Under Mr Buhari’s regime, most Southern states passed anti-grazing laws prohibiting herdsmen from openly grazing in their states.
