Traditional chiefs under the aegis of Ilorin Emirate Forum of Magajis and Alanguas converged on the palace of the Emir of Ilorin to brainstorm on the lingering clashes between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities.

They said the meeting code-named "security summit" was aimed at averting reported bloodshed in some parts of the country arising from the onslaught of herders.

In his lecture at the summit, the Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Salihu Woru Mohammed, said the formation of communal security committee with inclusion of both natives and non-natives would put an end to the wrangling between herdsmen and farmers. He suggested that the committee should meet, at least, every fortnight to iron out some issues that could snowball into unmitigated crisis.

Woru Mohammed also advised traditional chiefs to constitute advisory bodies in their respective domains to serve as a think-tank on security for local government administration.

Identifying peace as a panacea for rapid development, the Ilorin emirate chief called on indigenes of the ancient town to consolidate on the peace that exists in their various communities.

The Magaji Nda pointed out that it was criminal to engage in jungle justice without prior report to the police and other security formations on brewing threats in the community, saying the law enforcement agencies were in place to maintain law and orderliness.

The Magaji Nda also urged farmers to immediately report any destruction on their farms by herdsmen to the nearest police outfit to arrest the situation in quickest time before it got escalated. He called on the citizens to shun reckless and inciting comments that could endanger the existing peace in various communities. The traditional chief warned that nobody has the right to ask anybody to vacate their community as long as they hold same citizenship.

Needless confrontation

The chairman of Ilorin Emirate Forum of Magajis and Alanguas, Abdulwahab Sanni, said the summit was imperative to remind participants of the need to maintain peace in their domains and prevent needless confrontation.

Alhaji Sanni, who is also the Alajagusi, gave the assurance that the security summit would be convened from time to time to sensitize district heads on their roles.

Also speaking, Division Police Officer, 'C Division', Oja-Oba, Ilorin, Mr Mukaila Yusuf, expressed displeasure over the reported gruesome activities of herdsmen, which he said, was posing serious concern to the government and security agencies across the country. He called on communities to report any security threat to the police station nearest to them to avoid jungle justice.

Mr. Yusuf, a Superintendent of Police, enjoined community heads to carry along members of their communities while taking decision on matters of urgency. About 50 traditional chiefs from the 5 local government areas within the Ilorin Emirate were at the security summit.