Curbing Farmers/herders Clashes, The Anambra Example

Over the years, there have been incessant clashes between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in different parts of the country.

The animosity has eaten deep into the political fabric of the nation, precipitating perceived ill-feelings between the two divides; the Fulani herdsmen and their host communities. Incontestably, this endemic situation has crippled economic activities and has contributed immensely to the level of insecurity plaguing the nation today.

Because of this insecurity, regions are forming their regional police or security outfits to control grazing and the destruction of farm products, intimidation, and a threat to life by Fulani herdsmen. Consequently, the Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU), earlier blamed governors of the South -East for the growing insecurity in the region and called for anti-open grazing laws in the region.

The town union leaders said the state Chief Executives would have nipped the spate of killings and existential threat in Igbo land in the bud if they had heeded their calls and those of other well-meaning residents and groups for the enactment of anti-open grazing laws in the five south-east states. Following the rising calls for action to end the cycle of violence and growing discontent in the region, various measures and policies were formulated by individual states in the South-East to find permanent solutions to the farmers/herders crisis. States started sponsoring anti-open grazing legislation to regulate cattle rearing with a view to arresting the incessant killing of innocent citizens by herdsmen. Surprisingly, it is a different arrangement in Anambra State. Anambra is one of the states with lesser cases of herdsmen-farmers clashes.

Governor Willie Obiano had formulated policies that have prevented clashes between farmers and herdsmen. When contacted, the Chairman of the South-East zone of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Siddiki Gidado, explained why the perennial crisis between farmers and herdsmen has abated in the state. According to Gidado, “there is peace in the South -East, especially in Anambra State between farmers and Fulani herdsmen.

We were able to achieve this because we are working with the leaders of the South -East, the leaders of various communities in the South -East and in Anambra State, as well as the state governments. ‘When we advise them they heed our advice on ways to prevent every possible clash between farmers and herdsmen. In Anambra State, we have a good relationship with the state government. The government carries us along and there is a committee set up by the state government to ensure peace in every community.

“The essence of this committee is to safeguard Anambra State and proffer solutions for peaceful coexistence between herdsmen and farmers in the state. Governor Willie Obiano in his administrative policy made it mandatory that if a farmer kills a cow, he must pay compensation and if herdsmen destroy farms, they will also pay compensation. “He achieved this by setting up a committee. And this committee looks into complaints to ascertain the level of damage caused by either farmers or herdsmen for adequate compensation.

But, what we are saying and what we are telling people is don’t destroy and don’t pay. “If you destroy a farm and you pay compensation, there is no level of compensation that will make the farm you destroyed to be restored and if you kill a cow, there is no level of compensation that will be commensurate to the killed cow.

So, it is a lose-lose game for both parties. We don’t want that; we want peaceful coexistence.” When asked if there are other areas they would want the government to come in to promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders, Gidado disclosed that they needed more empowerment from the government to sensitize herders to the need for peace in the state. He added that farmers or natives had the mindset that whenever they felt the presence of herdsmen, they were coming to destroy their farms. Likewise, the herders share the same disposition whenever they see a group of farmers approaching them. “When we call these people (herders) together, we will tell them they are brothers and everybody should go on with his or her business harmoniously. We are one, we are not fighting, and we want peace.

Don’t destroy, don’t pay. We will go to communities to do the sensitization and in doing that we need mobility and other logistics to help us get to every community. We will go with the natives who are ready to make peace, for example, the Igbos for a Progressive Nigeria (IPAN) is here with us. “We are working with them. Since we collaborate, there is a need to partner with them. So, we need the government to come in to help us. We need to sensitize the people to who is who.

Is it that the Igbo man is an enemy to Fulani herdsmen or that the Fulani herdsman is an enemy to an Igbo man? So, we need to clear this mindset to tell them we are one. We are not fighting. Don’t destroy and don’t pay,” Gidado espoused. In a telephone interview, the National President, Igbos for a Progressive Nigeria (IPAN), Comrade Lawrence Onuzulike, confirmed that the association was ready to partner with Miyetti Allah to ensure peace in Anambra State in particular and Nigeria in general. According to him, “we want every state to emulate Governor Willie Obiano.

We want to change the attitude of people, the mindset to stop whatever is the problem. It is not about paying compensation when a farm is destroyed or when a cow is killed. No, what we want is a serious attempt to stop whatever is the issue and live peacefully with each other.” As one of the measures to enthrone peace, Governor Obiano had a tripartite meeting with the leaders of the Fulani community in the state, the traditional rulers of agrarian communities, and the local governments to encourage a peaceful co-existence among the various groups in the state.

In the meeting, Obiano warned that nobody should take the laws into their hands. He recalled that it was agreed at the state security council meeting that herdsmen are not allowed to carry arms. “Herdsmen are not supposed to bear arms. Please, if you see any herdsmen with AK-47, report them early to the police so that they can be picked up. That is the way to co-exist in a multi-ethnic and diverse society. Fulani herdsmen used to be known for their long sticks and daggers, which they used to protect their cows.

But, these Fulani herdsmen that carry AK47 riffles are worrisome. “We don’t want what happened in Enugu to happen here. But, if the three options we are proposing fail, we are ready to defend ourselves. But, we don’t want it to get to that point. We don’t want anything to destroy the beautiful relationship that has existed between Igbos and Fulanis and other Nigerian tribes. We want Anambra to be a shining example,” he said.