Al-Makura’s aide advises herdsmen against using minors for grazing

By Zacheaus Somorin

Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Umar (rtd), Special Adviser on security matters to Gov.Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, has advised herdsmen against using minors for grazing to prevent destruction of food crops.

Umar gave the advice on Tuesday in Lafia in an interview with our reporter.

He said that the inability of underage herdsmen to control cows from straying into farmlands was responsible for the destruction of food crops, which lead to conflicts between them and farmers.

Umar said minors often found it difficult to stop cows from straying into farmlands and destroying farm produce, hence the need for herdsmen to avoid using them for grazing to ensure peace.

“Our advice to herdsmen is to ensure that cows are handed over to adults with the experience to control them,’’ he said.

He appealed to farmers not to take laws into their hands and report their grievances to law enforcement agencies, no matter the level of destruction.

“Farmers are advised to be law abiding; they should not take law in to their hands no matter what happened to their crops in the interest of peace.

“If farmers and herdsmen co-exist peacefully, it will go a long way to boost food production and socio-economic development of the state and the country,’’ he added.

The SA attributed some of the causes of the crises in some parts of the country to rumour mongering and called on Nigerians to shun rumours in the interest of peace and national development.

He urged residents of Nasarawa state to be law abiding, live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliations.

“No society can achieve meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion; peace is priceless and a necessary requirement for the development of any society,’’ he said.