The Gombe State government, on Monday, restated its commitment to ending farmer-herder clashes in a bid to ensure peaceful coexistence and boost food security in the state.
Dr Barnabas Malle, the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives stated this in Gombe while addressing journalists shortly after meeting with stakeholders.
Malle said that the development of the agriculture sector remained a key priority of Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State’s administration, hence the setting up of a committee to address such issues.
He stated that several meetings had been held with critical stakeholders comprising farmers as well as herders’ associations, traditional and community leaders and security agencies.
He said so far in the 2024 harvest, there had been few issues arising from farmer-herder contact but “all grievances had been resolved amicably”
According to him, that is the reason there had been no security breaches.
The commissioner who is also the chairman of the Committee for the resolution of farmer-herder clashes in the state said Yahaya-led administration had since inception put up mechanism to end farmer-herder clashes.
Malle said that the local government chairmen in the state had been helpful in timely mediating discussions at their domains to ensuring that issues do not escalate to conflicts.
He advised farmers to carry out their harvesting activities as soon as their crops were due and avoid burning remnants so as to assist in providing feeds towards improving the health of livestock.
For his part, Lt. Col. Abdullahi Bello (rtd), the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs said so far there was no cause for alarm with regard to the 2024 harvest.
Bello reiterated that the ban on open grazing was still effective till January when farmers were expected to have concluded harvesting.
“The state of things is cool and calm. The situation is under control and there is no cause for alarm.
“Malle has called for a meeting with which almost all stakeholders of the committee are in attendance and a lot has been deliberated upon.
“ We are still on top of the situation; most of the cases recorded are resolved, he said.
Bello appealed to residents to be law-abiding and to shun attempts to breach peace in the state.
He advised any aggrieved member of any community to report issues to relevant security agencies and not take laws into their hands.
Bello commended Gov. Yahaya, the security agencies and all councils’ chairmen and other traditional and community stakeholders for their efforts at maintaining peace in Gombe State.
