The Kwara State Government has appealed for mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence between herders and farming communities, amid persistent tensions and clashes across the state.
The call was made on Friday by the Director of Livestock Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammed Ahmed Umar, during a one-day peace dialogue organized by Kwara Search Common Ground Media. The event, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Ilorin, brought together stakeholders from both communities.
Umar revealed that the state government had commissioned a consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of designated grazing zones that have been encroached upon by structural developments and farmlands. He said the move is aimed at restoring unhindered access and movement for herders.
“The government is considering the creation of alternative grazing areas to support the herding business and ease tensions between herders and farmers,” Umar disclosed, adding that mutual respect and cooperation are essential to resolving the long-standing conflict.
He emphasized the importance of the dialogue, describing it as both educative and insightful, and expressed hope that the ideas shared would help shape sustainable solutions to the herder-farmer crisis.
Umar also raised concerns over increasing insecurity in rural areas, especially from banditry, which he said has further displaced many farmers from their lands.
In his remarks, the State Coordinator of Search for Common Ground, Adekitan Adeyemi, underscored the importance of peace for economic growth and national development. “Peace is non-negotiable if we must achieve the development we desire as a people,” he said.
On his part, the representative of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kwara State, Alfa Saeed Atonto, lamented the destruction of farmlands by cattle, particularly those herded by underage boys who often lack the capacity to control them.
He urged herders and livestock owners to take responsibility and protect farmers’ livelihoods. “We are brothers and should not allow our livelihoods to divide us,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the state, Alhaji Garba Shehu, decried what he described as exorbitant fines often imposed on herders by aggrieved farmers when cattle stray into farms. He appealed for moderation and understanding in compensation demands, noting, “We are all stakeholders in the agricultural sector.”
A women leader, Hajia Usman Zainab, expressed concern over the growing hostility between both groups, calling it unjustified. “Farmers see herders as enemies, which should not be the case. We must change that mindset and embrace peace,” she said.
The dialogue ended with a renewed commitment from all parties to strengthen peaceful engagement and foster cooperation for the benefit of their communities.
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