Farmers/breeders clashes: Govt shares blame– Miyetti Allah

From Uche Uche, Damaturu.

The federal government’s failure to implement recommendations of past commissions of enquiry into clashes between farmers and Fulani cattle breeders has been blamed for the continuous restiveness between the two groups in the country.

Chairman of “Miyetti Allah” cattle breeders association in Yobe state, Alhaji Mai Aliyu, stated this while speaking to our correspondent in Damaturu, the obe state capital.

He said such clashes can only be reduced or even stopped if government implements the reports of past commissions of enquiry to provide a lasting solution to the Fulani/ farmer restiveness in the country.

“The restiveness recorded in some states was due to government’s failure to implement the findings and provide justice to the people”, he said.

He noted that it was unfortunate that the farmers and grazers now attack each other with impunity.

The chairman said when a grazer encroaches into a farmland, he should be made to face justice and, when farmers kill or take away Fulani cattle, they should equally face justice. “Once that is done, nobody

will take the laws into his hands to seek for justice”, he said.

“It is regrettable that the Fulani and farmers are both recording casualties in these conflicts with mass killings”, he said.

Mai Aliyu also advised government to work with the new national leadership of Miyetti Allah towards a permanent solution to the conflicts.

“The association is more united now under the new leadership, and I believe the new leaders have a great role to play to curb the conflicts”, he said.

Mai Aliyu who also contested the post of national president but lost said, Yobe state council of Miyetti Allah has pledged its full loyalty to the new leaders.

He commended Yobe state government for taking appropriate measures towards ensuring peaceful coexistence between farmers and grazers in the state.