Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, says farmer/herder conflicts
require a real-time, practically-oriented solution.
Malami made this known on Tuesday at `the Peace, Unity and Security
Lecture Series 2021’ in Abuja on Tuesday.
Represented by Dr Umar Gwandu, the minister’s Special Assistant on Media
and Public Relations, Malami said said that farmer-herder conflict
would need direct involvement of all stakeholders in seeking for
solutions.
“The better approach towards resolving the crisis over the short, medium
and long terms is community-oriented approach.
“it is likely to yield greater dividend in diffusing and eventually
eliminating the menace that has retarded economic development and
created wide-spread insecurity.
“Simply addressing farmer-herder crisis from purely theoretical
perspectives often devoid of reality and without synchronisation with
the needs and aspirations of the involved stakeholders is not only
counter-productive, but inimical to the emergence and sustenance of a
peaceful and prosperous Nigeria’’.
He said that some of the ways for a peaceful Nigeria include strict
adherence to the rule of law, respecting the sanctity of the fundamental
human rights in all ramifications.
“This rule of law include freedom of movement and the right of citizens
to stay at whatever part of the country they choose to and other
provisions as contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria remain fulcrum for a peaceful society.
“I want to submit that mastering and adopting conflict management
strategies, interpersonal and intercommunity tolerance, enhanced public
relations techniques, understanding of multi-culturism: and diversity,
socially responsible and objective media, properly motivated and
well-trained security forces with patriotic Nigerians sincerely
committed to duty are recipe for a peaceful Nigeria’’.
He called for the establishment of regulated grazing reserves to replace
the “Burtali” or “Hurumi” pastoral system and intensive enlightenment of
livestock breeders on the need for sedentary farming and transhumance
agriculture as complimentary economic process to nomadic farming.
Malami also suggested the provision of water holes in remote grazing
locations, subsidised veterinary care and mobile ambulatory services for
surgeries and other medical interventions for livestock.
“Provision of infrastructure – social amenities, educational facilities
and cattle markets at central locations to accelerate nomadic
settlements.
Other solutions include educating communities on the need for peaceful
co-existence; after all these communities have lived harmoniously side
by side and even intermarried for generations.
“And also community engagement fora for bridge-building in community
relations,’’ he added.
Malami said Nigeria is predominately agricultural in nature and by
geography, hence, the constant mobility of herders across the different
belts of Nigeria.
“It is perhaps; time to consider setting-up of a commission for
pastoralism regulated by law. This might provide recipes for resolving
the protracted farmer-herder conflicts.
“The commission may even engage in or facilitate in-depth analytical
studies with a view to providing lasting solutions for the benefit of
the people and the country’’.
He also called for the revamping of the activities of the Nomadic
Education Commission with a view to complimenting the efforts of
government in resolving the farmer-herder clashes.
He, therefore, reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government of
Nigeria in supporting initiatives and programmes that will help resolve
the lingering farmer-herder crises in the country.
He called for all-inclusive, holistic, practical and result-oriented
submissions that would be keyed-into shaping the country’s legal
framework for a prosperous nation that all will be proud to bequeath the
posterity. (NAN)