Plateau killings: Akinosun calls for dialogue

A senatorial aspirant in Oyo South and member of the Board of Trustees of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Dr Fola Akinosun, has described the recent killings in Plateau State allegedly perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen as very saddening and extremely devastating and called for dialogue by all parties concerned as a way out of the challenge.

Dr Akinosun made the remarks during his courtesy visit to  the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Friday.

According to him, “the first step towards resolving the nagging issue is to identify the remote and immediate causes and afterwards take decisive steps to permanently eliminate the monster.”

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He said Nigerians must first come to the realisation that they had lived preacefully with  the  Fulani herdsman who are predominantly nomads before now which goes to suggest that  they could still co-exist peacefully with the herdsmen, adding that   understanding  their  lifestyle and engaging them in dialogue would go a long way in preparing the ground for a permanent  resolution of the crisis.

The senatorial hopeful further suggested the establishment of a commission that would take care of the needs  of the herdsmen and ensure effective communication between them, the farmers and other Nigerians

While describing the decision of the Federal Government to set up colonies in some states to accommodate the herdsmen as well thought-out, he called on Nigerians not  resist the development because it is capable of creating thousands of jobs for the unemployed

He said: “Creating colonies for the herdsmen is a commendable idea because it will create employment for the army of unemployed youths in our society. Maybe government should not call it colony but agricultural settlement. In this regard, all forms of agricultural activities can be accommodated, hence, we can have poultry, fish ponds piggery and  what have you. This way, Nigerians from all ethnic background,  religious  affiliations will do business together.

“I will suggest that such a colony should be established in remote areas of each state in order to attract deloment to such areas.”