Expose deviants in your midst, Northern Govs tell Cattle breeders

ABUJA- AS part of moves to nip in the bud, constant clash between Fulani herdsmen and local farmers in some parts of the country, Governors of the nineteen northern states under the aegis of the Northern Governors Forum, were yesterday locked in a meeting with the umbrella body of the cattle rearers, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria. The Governors at the end meeting urged the Fulani cattle rearers to help expose deviants in their midst and encourage their wards pursue education as a way of uplifting themselves. Reading a communique at the end of the meeting which started at 7 pm and ended 10.45 pm, governor of Niger State and Chairman of the forum, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, the governors hailed the federal government for drawing up an action plan which is the short, medium and long to address the issues of Grazing Reserves, Cattle Routes as well as provision of amenities on their settlements to encourage transition to intensive sedentary system of livestock production where pasture is sown and harvested. The governors at the end of the meeting resolved that member States should hold meetings with relevant stakeholders in their respective States with a view to searching for lasting peace and also for states to individually exploit the potentials of the various groups and use every means at it disposal to implement recommendations capable of ameliorating the problem. Earlier, the governors who started arriving the venue of the meeting, Niger Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja at past 7 pm, came one after the other shortly after the expanded National Security Council Meeting at the presidential villa. Prior to the arrival of the Governors, Secretary to the State governments of the northern states had met apparently to prepare grounds for their governors. The meeting yesterday between the Northern governors and State chairmen of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria was to among others deliberate on the incessant clashes between them and farm owners in the North. Meanwhile, governors Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto and Yobe governor were however absent Present at the meeting were Governors of Kaduna, Taraba, Katsina, Bauchi, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, deputies of Plateau and Kano were at the meeting.