The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Oyo State, Augustine Padonu, has said the command’s Agro Rangers Squad resolved 603 disputes between farmers and herders from January to June this year.
The Commandant also made it known that 2,600 cases were settled in 2024, 70 per cent of which were from the Oke Ogun axis.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday at the Agriculture Stakeholders Seminar organised by the Agro-Ranger Unit of the command and held at the House of Chiefs, Oyo State House of Assembly.
The seminar was themed ‘Combating the Problem of Food Insecurity and Farmer-Herder Conflicts: The Active Roles of the Agro Rangers Squad in Oyo State.’
Among the stakeholders at the seminar were the Chairman, the Oyo State Farmers Association, Mr. Odebunmi Adenrele; chairman of the state Council of Fulani Chiefs, Alhaji Yakubu Bello; and the Chairman, Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Ibraheem Abubakar Jiji.
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Noting that agriculture remains the backbone of the nation’s economy, the Commandant said that the seminar was a collective effort to address food insecurity and farmer-herder conflicts.
He spoke on persistent clashes between farmers and herders, which had led to loss of lives, destruction of farmlands, displacement of communities, and overall insecurity in rural areas.
Describing the seminar as timely, Commandant Padonu said that the NSCDC, through the establishment of the Agro-Rangers Unit, had remained steadfast in its commitment to bridging the gap between security and agriculture.
He stated that the essence was to build trust among the stakeholders, hence the need to bring together policy-makers, farmers’ associations, herders, security operatives, academic experts, traditional rulers, and community-based organisations to forge a united front.
“Together, we can develop practical, context-driven strategies to mitigate these conflicts and protect our food systems,” Commandant Padonu said.
Appreciating the guest speakers at the seminar, the Commandant expressed the belief that their contributions would help shape policy and operational frameworks that would further strengthen peace and security in the state’s agricultural sector.
He enjoined the stakeholders present to use the opportunity to network, share ideas, and propose solutions that would advance the shared vision for a secure and productive agricultural environment in Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkami Olaleye, in his message at the seminar, commended the NSCDC, particularly the Agro Rangers Unit for putting the programme together.
He said that the programme is necessary at the start of the farming season, as it would educate everyone on their rights and limits within the law.
He noted the growth of the population but with non-expansion of land space, in addition to the vagaries of weather, which is causing desertification and making herders to travel long distances to feed their cattle.
He said that though such happened in the Western world in times past, they found a solution to it.
The Commissioner spoke on the anti-open grazing law currently in existence in Oyo, as well as a rule of law enforcement authority.
He emphasized on the constitutional responsibility of law enforcement agencies in the state to enforce the law as long as it does not conflict with the constitution.
Olaleye touched on the government collaboration with Miyetti Allah and those in animal husbandry to train them in planting grasses to feed their animals.
“It’s high time we looked for other means to rear animals and purchase or rent land spaces to plant the grasses so as not to go against the state laws.
“We should also prevent children from herding cows that destroy farms due to their ignorance on what crops are. Same goes for strangers who herd cows from far places into farms, destroy them and flee.
“We must look into all of these and find ways of putting an end to them,” the Commissioner said.
Dr Sunday Atunwa from Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, who delivered the lecture entitled ‘Combating the Problem of Food Insecurity and Farmers-Herders Conflicts: The Active Roles of Agro Rangers Squad in Oyo State,’ noted the occurrence of the conflict, not only in Oyo but all over the nation.
He said that factors responsible for food insecurity through the conflicts included competition over land space between the two groups and environmental factors, including climate change and drought, among others.
Dr Atunwa recommended the setting up of a peace resolution by Agro Rangers Squad, provision of necessary equipment for the Squad, enactment of law prohibiting carrying guns by the farmers and herders and the establishment of mobile courts for quick prosecution of erring farmers and herders.
Earlier, in his welcome speech, the Head of Unit, Agro Rangers, DCC Isaac Alonge, said that the seminar was organised to bring together stakeholders in order to forge partnerships and explore sustainable solutions between farmers and herders.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that Agro Rangers Unit of the NSCDC was established in 2016 with the mandate to protect farmlands and agricultural investments, safeguard farmers and agro workers, mediate and prevent violent conflicts, and support peaceful coexistence in agrarian communities.
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