Nineteen Northern state governors and the region’s apex socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, have deplored open grazing of cattle by Fulani herdsmen.
The Northern governors argued that with the increasing number of urban population in the country, the grazing of cows and other livestock in the open could no longer be sustained by the herders.
The governors made their positions known at a virtual emergency meeting on Monday where issues affecting the region and the country were tabled for discussion.
In a communiqué released in Jos on Tuesday after the meeting, Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, said the governors were concerned about the tension generated by the eviction order issued to herdsmen in some parts of the country.
They argued that the situation was heating up the already tense and fragile atmosphere “with threats of reprisals which the Northern governors are working assiduously to contain.”
The Northern governors also stressed the urgent need for the Nigerian Governors Forum to meet and discuss the issue holistically with a view to resolving all areas of misunderstanding and conflicts arising from the threats and suspicion for the sake of national unity.
The communiqué partly read, “Consequently, the forum resolved to aggressively sensitise herdsmen to the need to adapt new methods of herding by ranching or other acceptable modern methods.
“It appeals to the Federal Government to support states with grants to directly undertake pilot projects of modern livestock production that will serve as springboard and evidence for breaking resistance to the full implementation of new methods of livestock production.
“The Forum resolved to engage elders and youths in a robust discussion with a view to dousing the tense security environment in the North. Accordingly, a four-man committee was put in place to be headed by the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum.”
It also urged leaders, including those in the Southern part of the country, ‘where passion is high’ to exercise restraint and enjoined ‘all the citizens of the North to continue to live in peace with all Nigerians, irrespective of their origins and backgrounds.”
Meanwhile, the pan-Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum on Tuesday aligned with the region’s state governors’ position that open grazing could no longer be sustained.
ACF National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, said that the regional body agreed with the governors.
“We support the stand of northern governors,” Yawe said.