Governors of the 19 northern states under the umbrella of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF)have expressed concern over the current system of herding conducted mainly through open grazing, saying it is no longer sustainable in view of growing urbanization and population of the country.
At an emergency virtual meeting of the Northern States Governors to discuss issues affecting the region and the nation in general, the governors pointed out that consequently, it has resolved to aggressively sensitise herdsmen on the need to adapt new methods of herding by ranching or other acceptable modern methods.
Leadership reports that the communiqué issued in Jos and personally signed by its chairman and governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, appealed to the federal government to support states with grants to directly undertake pilot projects of modern livestock production that will serve as springboard and evidence for breaking resistance to the full implementation of new methods of livestock production.
The forum noted the tension generated by the eviction order issued to herdsmen in some parts of the country, and expressed concern that it amounted to heating the already fragile security atmosphere with threats of reprisals which the northern governors are working assiduously to contain.
“There is urgent need for the Nigerian Governors Forum to meet and discuss the issue holistically with a view to resolving all areas of misunderstanding and conflicts arising from these threats and suspicion for the sake of national unity,” the communiqué noted.
The governors resolved to engage elders and youths in a robust discussion with a view to dousing the tensed security environment in the North.
Accordingly, they set up a four-man committee to be headed by the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum.
The governors also called for restraint from leaders, including those in the southern parts of the country where passions are high.
Similarly, they called on all the citizens of the North to continue to live in peace with all Nigerians irrespective of their origins and backgrounds.
On some of its committee reports that are at various stages of completion, they resolved that all such reports should be turned in before the next meeting scheduled for the end of February in Kaduna where the reports will be discused.
On security in the region and the nation, the forum noted the growing wave of insecurity in the country, particularly as it relates to circulation of unverified video clips on social media portraying violent attacks on persons in some parts of the country.
They called on political leaders to segregate between criminality and social groups in their domains with a view to treating criminals as criminals, just as they condemned every form of criminality whether from herders, hunters, or farmers occupying forest reserves illegally.
The governors also congratulated the new service chiefs on their recent appointments and resolved to collaborate with them in enhancing the security of the region and the nation at large.
The communiqué further noted that in its quest to acquire
COVID-19 testing mobile vehicles, the governors received briefing on the procurement of the vehicles which is still ongoing, with the first batch about to be received.
They resolved to revalidate all requests made by member states in 2020.
