From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, on Wednesday, said that the only solution to end the incessant clashes between farmers and herders in the country is for Nigerians to learn how to control the movement of their animals.
The CDS also said Nigerians must embrace ranching as part of their contribution in the fight against insecurity, just as he has called on farmers to stop killing animals that stray into their farms. He said rather than killing these stray animals, farmers should initiate their arrest so as to get better compensation for the damage done to their crops.
The CDS said this at a media briefing on the forthcoming African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit scheduled to hold in Abuja from August 25 to 27.
He said, “Traditionally, what we have done before is, if an animal strays into a farm, we arrest it, then the owner comes and pays a fine and he takes it back. If we do that, we will have peace. But it is important that we get areas where we can keep these animals. They are better off when they are kept in a ranch.
“If you don’t want to call it ranching, call it whatever it is, but provide an area where they don’t need to move around. I want us as Nigerians to look at this so that we can deal with this issue. Because one of the big security challenges we’re having is this issue of farmer-herders.”
While noting the numerous advantages of ranching to the owner of animals, the CDS said, “Once they move around, they spend energy. They are smaller, they don’t produce so much milk for you to do for them.
“Why don’t you do that? Why don’t you ranch them? You get the best out of them. So it’s a win-win for all of us.”
“Some people felt that we are encouraging the government to buy farms and ranching is a business.
“I think anybody that is interested in ranching should also do that. Again, if state governments are interested in their own regions, they should do that.
“They can also show model ranch farms for people to do.
“But what we’re saying is for us to address this security situation, we must stop animals going into farms.”
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