by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Plateau State Government has asserted that, to ensure conflicts in the State are put in check, in order to allay the fears of the people, it has set up Agro Rangers to protect farmers in their various farms.
The State Special Adviser on Security to Governor Mutfwang, Major-General Gakji Shipi, disclosed this recently during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Plateau State Police Commissioner, CP Julius Alaware Okoro, at the Police Officers Mess Jos.
He explained that, “This was because of the security challenges currently being witnessed in some parts of the State, ranging from herders and farmers clashes, cattle rustling issues and other conflicts.
“What informed this stakeholders’ meeting was to find out the views of the parties involved and know how they can address it.”
He further stated that, “The State Government has confidence in the stakeholders meeting, which is timely, and has afforded the people to trace their history; and before moving forward, you must know where you are coming from.”
He advised the farmers and the communities to accommodate their fellow herders and create space for cattle to graze, since they are looking for means of livelihood, and cautioned cattle owners to monitor their cattle to ensure they do not invade in any farmland, in the name of ‘grazing.’
He also warned them against giving out their cattle to underage for grazing, who always throw them into the farmers’ farms, and urged the citizens to embrace peaceful coexistence and learn to live together, irrespective of tribal and religious differences.
Major-General Shipi noted that, “There is no meaningful achievement can be achieved, if the people failed to agree to live in peace with one another.”
Also speaking, CP Julius Okoro called on the stakeholders to imbibe the culture of true forgiveness, which is a key to genuine reconciliation.
According to him, “It is high time to chart a new course of finding a lasting solution to the problems confronting the state and stop a blaming one another.
“There must be continuation of series of meetings that is going on between the Fulanis and other members of the community to deescalate any tendency that is tantamount to peaceful coexistence,” he said.
He urged that, when the people go back to their communities, the elders should constantly hold meetings with their youths, saying, “because these are people that are going out rustling cows; they are the people that are going out to organize reprisal attacks.”
CP Okoro noted that, “The youths are blaming the elders, while the elders are blaming the youths. You must begin with reconciliation between the elders and the youths, then gather them and talk to them as elders and fathers so that we can find a lasting peace.
“If we talk to our youths in sincerity of purpose so that the issues of cattle rustling, underage grazing, night grazing and reprisal attacks would stop,” he retorted.
The Police Commissioner stressed the need for constant synergy and communication between the security agencies and the traditional rulers for prompt action in times of eventuality, and urged them to understand themselves and do what is right.
“The only way to understand ourselves is to have constant synergy between ourselves, which would bring cooperation and understanding among ourselves,” he added.
Speaking also, the Plateau State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Nura Muhammad Abdullahi, commended the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for organizing the stakeholders meeting to beef-up security and ensure peaceful coexistence amongst citizens of the state.
He stated that, “The meeting was timely and the approach of the security issues was aimed at ending internal crisis, unlike the previous stakeholders meetings that always end in chaos.
Alhaji Nura Abdullahi stressed that, “From what I am seeing today is a different thing. I see how all the people that are inside the hall are proffering solutions on how to foster unity between the farmers and herders.
“Farmers and herders have agreed in the state to sign peace pact to avoid incessant attacks and killing in Plateau State without any reprisals,” he noted.
He condemned the incessant attacks and cattle rustling by calling on the surrounding villages to report anyone, who engage in unholy activities, to be reported to security agencies, adding, “And we should imbibe the spirit of tolerance and forgiveness.”
On his part, Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Very Rev. Fr Polycap Lubo, noted that, “The exercise was timely, regarding to the insecurity that bedevil us, and the governor’s effort is yielding positive results.”
He appreciated Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s efforts in restoring relative peace in Plateau North and Plateau Central districts, saying, “Because there is a time bomb on ground when Ardo Kerang was killed and his corpse was discovered.
“The stakeholders’ meeting centers more on how people would learn to forgive each other with genius reconciliation and the people would relate with one another peacefully,” Very Rev Fr Lubo said, while noting that, “There are so many stakeholders’ meetings that had not yielded any positive results.” So, he commended the governor for ensuring prompt response. Notwithstanding these ‘peaceful’ meetings, the cleric observed that, “There are fears on everyone’s mind that the Fulani are going to mobilize for reprisals attack or retaliate the mayhem, but with what the leaders of Fulanis are calling for peace, so that is how to stop further killings of each other like animals.”
He revealed that “The church went to visit the affected families and donated relief materials, so the same with the other denominations; but the issue now is for government to intervene to provide the needed security support.”