A Fulani socio-cultural association known as Daddo Pulaku in Bauchi State has called for an executive backing to have 4% of the total land surface of Bauchi State as contained in the list of gazetted and ungazetted grazing reserves in Bauchi state as a solution to farmers’ herders’ clashes.
The group made the plea in continuation of submissions of memoranda to the administrative committee of inquiry into land disputes in Bauchi state.
The group in the memorandum to the administrative committee on Wednesday, stressed the need for government to ensure the full implementation of the cattle routes law of Bauchi State, 2018 as contained in the passed bill which enforced the non-cultivation of both sides of all major roads in the state by 30 meters away from the drains.
Muhammad Aminu Tukur, Chairman, Daddo Pulaku, Bauchi State chapter who signed the memorandum on behalf of other leaders of the associations, stated that, “nomads, not only in Bauchi State, the country and indeed greater west Africa sub-region are being threatened with such an intense hostility that are having multiplier effect every year, if not on daily basis”.
“The most pertinent thing being the fact that all those challenging our right to live and choice of occupation are the most gluttonous protein (beef) eaters and addictive milk consumers”, the memorandum read in part.
A copy of the memorandum obtained by WikkiTimes says nomads have serious challenges in all the 20 LGAs of the State with the most cases common in Itas/Gadau, Ganjuwa and Bauchi LGAs where some village heads along with land officers are busy apportioning grazing reserves and cattle routes to themselves and selling to individuals.
Daddo Pulaku appealed to the committee to choose just one cattle route anywhere in the state and visit in order to ascertain what the association was arguing about.
“It is our candid opinion that our people suffer most in the hands of village heads, district heads and greedy lands officers in the LGAs”.
“It is our opinion that for a permanent solution to the escalating conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria as the most pressing security challenge of our time which has the potential to degenerate into more violence, bloodshed, arson and destruction of the most needed essential food items we have in both crop production and animal husbandry, urgent steps must be taken by government to check the tide”.
“We therefore, opined that as a matter of national priority and interest, government at all levels must step in and address the issue squarely no matter who is gored. The federal system we are operating to this moment has vested most powers in the hands of the federal government by having an upper hand in the security arrangement the country, having the Police and Armed forces under its command “, the association emphatically stated.
The group said, “level of literacy, nationalism and ability to appreciate one another for peaceful coexistence is grossly lacking. “This we suggest that it is never too late to start from the scratch by inculcating mass literacy, civil education and sensitization of the citizenry to appreciate one another most especially among farmers and herders”, the memorandum partly added.
