The Edo State Government has constituted a technical committee to proffer lasting solutions to the clashes between farmers and herders in the state.
The decision was reached at a stakeholders meeting convened by Governor Godwin Obaseki and attended by farmers, herders, traditional rulers and security agencies at the Government House, Benin City.
The committee members were given a fourteen-day ultimatum to look into the worrisome issue and identify possible means of tackling it.
The state government also agreed with the chairmen of all Local Government Areas to dedicate one percent from its federal allocation to support payment of stipends to vigilante, as a way to checkmate herders’ crisis.
Governor Obaseki, who identified the need for better information gathering for vigilantes, revealed that a team from the Inspector General of Police had been to Edo State in line with plans to commence community policing in the state.
Speaking on behalf of Sarkin Fulani, Alhaji Saleh Badamosi, alleged that some traditional rulers collect money from herders to graze in their communities, hence tensions arise when the herders are asked to leave the areas.
“The governor should work closer with the traditional rulers. The cattle breeders pay the traditional rulers to graze in some communities, so when the farmers drive them away, they will not go.”
The traditional leaders in attendance advocated that government pay vigilantes regular allowances and support them with equipment to make their work easy.
