Bello evolves strategies to curb farmers/fulani herdsmen clash

The Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said he had mapped out strategies to curb the menace of Fulani herdsmen/farmers clash across the state.

He said moves would be made to form an all inclusive government that would include the leaders of the Fulani to make them more responsible to the communities.

The governor who spoke through the special adviser on local government and chieftaincy affairs,  Abubakar Ohere, said that he would go to any length leave to achieve the needed peace between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Kogi.

Speaking at the last quarter meeting of the Kogi State Council of Chiefs held in Lokoja, the state capital on Thursday, he promised to ensure this through all-inclusive governance, adequate representation, investigative process and dialogue initiatives.

The special adviser, who expressed delight with the unique and strategic approaches to tackle security problems in the state by the present administration, intimated the traditional rulers of the Governor’s approval to include Fulani representatives at both the Local Government Area and State Council of Chiefs levels.

Ohere added that the Ministry was already working out modalities for the implementation of the new policy.

The governor’s aide also said government had concluded plans to conduct biometric data capturing of the Fulanis resident in Kogi state with a view to identifying genuine ones to enable government unearth deadly strangers and miscreants who may enter any community under the cover of herdsmen to threaten the peace and security in the land.

He said, “I strongly believe that the farmers and fulani herdsmen can live together in peace and harmony. I also have strong faith in Nigerian Constitution which allows for freedom of movement and association which the fulani herdsmen are entitled to enjoy in any part of the state just like other citizens”.

Ohere advised administrators in the 21 local government areas of the state and the traditional rulers to comply with the Governor’s directive to integrate fulani herdsmen in their various communities and hold regular meetings with them to ensure permanent peace in the state.

He appreciated the cooperation of the royal fathers in the state with the present administration and urged them to sustain the tempo of working in line with the policies and programmes of the New Direction government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello.