Date: 2017-04-18

...Subjects cattle rearers to registration

As part of efforts to reduce incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, the management of the local government council yesterday disclosed that herdsmen migrating to communities in the rea would hence forth be subjected to registration before they could be allowed to settle in any community in the area.

Baruten council area is an agrarian community that shares boundaries with the Republic of Benin and had in recent time witnessed clashes between herdsmen and farmers which left some persons dead.

The chairman, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) of the local government area, Alhaji Musa Gobir, dropped the hint to journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, during a chat. According to him, "The registration of herdsmen migrating to the communities in the area became imperative in view of the incessant clashes with farmers in the local government."

He also clarified that the council was not "against any Nigerian willing to settle in the area regardless of ethic affiliation as long as they are ready to live peacefully with one another," maintaining that such person must have traceable identity.

Gobir added that the management of the council would also this week convey a security meeting to resolve the issue so as to boost the socio economic development of the council. He said the meeting would be attended by the leaders of the Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the state where issues relating to the recent clashes with farmers would be resolved amicably.

Gobir said: "Fulani people know themselves; even if you commit a crime here and run to Sokoko, they know themselves." He opined that the people of the community "have lived peacefully with herdsmen for over 30 years, adding that some of their children now speak our language without any hindrance.

"The problem is not with the owners of the cows but the herdsmen who were entrusted with the care of the cows." Gobir therefore advised the people of the council to continue to live in peace in order to accelerate the socio economic development of the area.