Herdsmen to bear identity cards in Delta

In a move to curb the violence between herdsmen and farmers in Delta State, all Fulani cattle owners in the state are to bear identity cards so as to identify them easily, with a view to stamping out those causing trouble in various communities.

The identity cards are to be tendered before security men or any authority when the need arises.

According to the Secretary General of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), a newly registered body which co-ordinates the activities of Fulani cattle owners nationwide, Alhaji Sale Bayeri, the identity cards were necessary to know the true number of herdsmen in the state.

Alhaji Bayeri, who was in Delta and Imo states at the weekend, held meetings with the police and Department of State Services (DSS) to discuss the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Leaders of herdsmen in the state however regretted the incident between them and farmers at Osissa village in Ndokwa East Local Government Area that led to the decapitation of two of their kinsmen.

Those beheaded were 35-year-old Abdullahi Abdulaham and Abubakar Abdulaham (30).

While appealing for calm and restraint from both parties and urging them to avoid action that could send ethnic, religious and sectional signals in the country, Alhaji Bayeri said that Nigerians should see themselves as citizens of the country and not ethnic or religious entities.

Both the police and Department of State Services (DSS) assured peaceful co-existence between the farmers and herdsmen, even as they called on warring parties to sheathe their swords.

On their part, the herdsmen promised to be law abiding and to report any problem to security agencies.

They also warned their members to desist from crop destruction, robbery and kidnapping, promising security agencies to fish out those involved in heinous crimes.