The National Executive Council (NEC) yesterday linked incessant herdsmen killings across Nigeria to perception and reports by the media.
The NEC also approved the recommendation of its sub-committee that open grazing of cattle be banned across the country.
The three-man sub-committee on herdsmen/farmers clashes constituted by the government in February 2018 was headed by the governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi.
It was specifically mandated to unravel the causes of herdsmen/farmers clashes and dialogue with relevant stakeholders to end the killings of innocent citizens.
Other members of the sub-committee included Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), and Bindo Jubrilla (Adamawa). The panel was mandated to visit Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa states.
Umahi told State House correspondents after the NEC meeting at the Presidential Villa presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday, that the panel submitted its report to the council which okayed the recommendation to ban open grazing, opting for the establishment of ranches in states affected by the herdsmen onslaught.
He said NEC blamed the incessant killings by herdsmen on perception and reports by the media.
“The core causes of the conflicts, we were made to understand, were perception and of course our media friends, competition for scarce resources and banditry or what you can call pure criminal activities through cattle rustling and kidnapping.”
Governor Umahi, who said his team visited five states Benue, Taraba, Plateau Adamawa and Zamfara, told newsmen that there were three main categories of herdsmen in Nigeria. These, according to him, are foreign herdsmen, nomadic herdsmen and migrant herdsmen whose continued activities have resulted in clashes with farmers.
He said the NEC also agreed that the states affected by herdsmen killings donate land for the establishment of ranches that will include nomadic schools and health facilities for their family members.
“Niger and Kaduna have given lands, and Plateau is also giving land. We also agreed that through the agriculture ministry, we have to introduce new species of cows.”
Umahi said the council members accepted the recommendation to stop the further influx of foreign herdsmen into the country.
Even in their hiding places, residents of Benue State are not safe as militia Fulani herdsmen yesterday invaded an unofficial internally displaced persons camp at the African Church in Mbamondo clan of Ukemberagya Gaambe-Tiev, Logo Local Government Area and murdered seven persons.
The attack came less than 24 hours after the herdsmen attacked some villages in Guma and Gwer West local government areas, leaving no fewer than 43 villagers dead.
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