Date: 2021-06-26

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it is seeking to address the rising differences between the farmers and herders in the country's agro allied industry.

To this end, the Kwara Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Iskil Ayinla, called for a Stakeholders Forum organised by the corps in Ilorin on Friday, tackle the causes, implications and solutions to the conflict between the two parties.

Ayinla said that the command's quest to critically analyse the issues, gave birth to the forum, which he said was important to the development of the nation.

The commandant said that other social vices such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, insurgency, cultism and cyber crimes were becoming alarming.

"This forum will go a long way in the sustainability of peace and the socio-economic development of the immediate society and the country at large," the commandant said.

He said that in the last three months 37 matters with regards to herders and farmers relationship had been resolved by the command.

"The Command recovered about 27 stolen cows, and was later released to their owners and created Cow-pathway in people's farm.

"We also assisted a farmer to recover his stolen motorcycle, and had engagement with principal stakeholders (crop farmers and herders) in roundtable discussion, to forestall breac of peace," Ayinla said.

The commandant assured commitment and readiness of NSCDC to continue to protect the agro allied industry, and other security related challenges through the Agro Rangers Unit.

He solicited for the support, cooperation and salient contributions from participating stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the conflict, thereby enhancing a viable agro allied industry in the state and Nigeria at large.

The Coordinator of Tractor Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Kwara Chapter, Alhaji Muhammad Kudu, said that the herders and farmers are brothers and should be working together for their success.

Kudu said that patience and cooperation should be taken very serious in the discussion in order to achieve a positive result.

"I beg my brothers, both the farmers and herders to work together to achieve security of lives and properties and also be our brothers keepers," he said. Alhaji Muhammad Gidado, representative of Fulani herdsmen, also pleaded with the parties involved to live in peace and stop any form of misunderstanding.

Gidado however attributed most of the causes of the problem to the devil, and urged the two parties to shun evil whispering and work towards peace and progress