The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar on Monday urged the federal government to urgently take steps to mitigate the sufferings of Nigerians.
The Sultan, who made the appeal on Monday while speaking at the National Conference on Livestock Reform and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts between Herders and Farmers held in Abuja, said most of the challenges can be traced to the Naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
He said that insurrection against the government should not be dismissed with a wave of the hand.
He said: “Let’s keep politics aside. The issues of development especially for the common man should be prioritised. These people that God Almighty gave leadership over, one day, God forbid, rise up against us.”
Speaking on the subject of the discourse, the growing animosity between farmers and herders, the Sultan of Sokoto advised that both sides of the divide should imbibe the spirit of give and take for lasting peace.
“I have been to Benue, at least two times as Sultan, to sit with the governors and traditional rulers to discuss peace in the Benue valley. At the end of it, the suggestions, we threw them away. Nothing is done, and we are back to square one.
“Let this conference not be in the same manner, let’s do it and let’s do it well and now.”
The Governor of Kano State and initiator of the Conference, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, declared that the best option and lasting peace to the conflict was the adoption of ranching.
He said: ” The Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) or ranching, which has been deliberately politicized, remains the only option that would go a long way in mitigating existential problems, as pastoralists would have lands to graze without cattle encroaching on people’s farmlands. Because herders need fodder for their cattle and promote alternative means of producing feedstock, which reduces the need for grazing land.
“We have gone far in the establishment of Ruga Settlement in Kano. Already, 25 housing units out of the projected 500, situated on 4 413 hectares of land at Dansoshiya Forest in Kiru local government, have been completed and handed over to the herders. The replica of the houses will be displayed during an exhibition planned as part of this conference.
“Modernising the livestock sector is not only key to resolving the herder-farmer conflict but was envisaged that this economic investment pillar will support and strengthen the development of market-driven ranches for improved livestock production through breed improvement and pasture production.
“There is, therefore the need for aiding information, education and strategic communication on the development of grazing reserves to mitigate the consequences of these conflicts.”