- Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, revealed 60,000+ deaths in ongoing herders-farmers clashes
- Abbas emphasized urgency in addressing the conflict due to its implications for food security and national stability
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, revealed that more than 60,000 Nigerians have lost their lives due to the ongoing clashes between herders and farmers. He expressed concern that what were once localized conflicts between farmers and herders have now evolved into a broader and more extensive conflict, spanning across multiple West African countries.
Speaking at a stakeholders interactive session organized by the House Ad-hoc Committee, Abbas, represented by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue. The House has undertaken a comprehensive examination of the underlying causes, nature, scope, participants, repercussions, and potential remedies for this persistent national challenge.
“The number of deaths, injuries, and kidnapped persons constitutes an alarming situation and poses a serious national security challenge for Nigeria’s quest to attain food security and alternative foreign earnings from the agricultural sector. This menace requires urgent action to be taken.
“These conflicts have escalated in recent years and it is quite consequential to our national security. What is even more concerning is the appropriation of these conflicts by terror groups, bandits, and international criminal organisations.
“This has had severe consequences including the restriction of farmers from access to their farmlands, leading to food price inflation, a high cost of living, unemployment, and loss of foreign earnings that would have accrued through the agricultural sector”
On his part, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu represented by Professor Abdullahi Mohammed Ya’u lamented that the farmers/herders conflict has taken more lives than most of the crises seen in the country, adding that the problem is still ongoing and affecting the nation’s collective socio-economic interests.
“He said the NSA office has expanded its focus to tackle the security issues involved by addressing the issue through dialogue, and community engagements in collaboration with all relevant authorities.
In a memorandum submitted by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore titled ‘Memorandum On Disputes Between Farmers And Herders In Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, Gombe State’ stated that farmers/herders conflicts have significant impacts on the livelihood of Nigerians in Yamaltu-Deba and other places.
It stated, “Understanding and addressing these changes in access to grazing land or water sources is crucial in mitigating conflicts between herders and farmers in Yamaltu-Deba Local government area.
Similarly, in a presentation by its national president, Khalil Mohammed Bello, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, stated that the failure of states and federal governments to take sustainable actions contributed a lot to the escalation of the conflict.