According to Mohammed Badaru, the Minister of Defence, the federal government is dedicated to settling disputes between farmers and herders in Plateau State.
Badaru expressed worries about persistent violence despite efforts to address the issue during a meeting with traditional rulers, security agencies, and opinion leaders in Jos, the state capital, on Sunday.
The meeting was held at the 3 Division headquarters in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
He pledged that the government would not consider such requests and underlined that dividing communities along ethnic or religious lines would be terrible. Rather, he emphasised the value of coexisting peacefully.
Badaru recognised the recent attacks and reprisals in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs, resulting in the loss of lives and property and committed to deploy all necessary assets to safeguard citizens’ safety and security.
Given their mutual reliance on one another for socioeconomic development, the minister called on farmers and herders to reject violence and embrace peace. Additionally, he conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s gratitude for the security personnel’s performance and praised them for their efforts.
According to the minister, the goal of his visit is to engage with critical state stakeholders in order to develop strategies for addressing the most recent security concerns, the growing number of agricultural damage incidents, and livestock rustling, which led to recent attacks and retaliation in some areas of the state.
He said, “My presence here today is to fulfil my mandate as the Minister of Defence charged with the responsibility for the protection of our national territory both from external and internal aggressions.
“Therefore, I would not relent until the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ministry of Defence deploy all assets to ensure our people sleep with their two eyes closed.
“But firstly, I must first express my displeasure over the recurring attacks and reprisals that resulted in the loss of lives and property, especially in Jol and Sho in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs in recent times.
“These killings kept recurring despite the best efforts of our security agencies on the Plateau, especially 3 Division/OPSH, to ensure amicable settlements during any incidents involving attacks on cattle or farm destruction as well as cattle rustling.”
The minister also expressed displeasure over the stance of some members of the communities who are disrupting farming activities during the ongoing rainy season.
He added, “I am particularly saddened by the stance of some unscrupulous elements in some communities who vowed to disrupt farming activities during the ongoing rainy season despite all efforts to resolve the security issues in your localities through diverse means.
“The continuous recurrence of famers/herders clashes not just in the Plateau but across other states of the federation is quite worrisome. As nature has it, both famers and cattle breeders need each other to survive.”
The minister had earlier told men and senior officers that President Bola Tinubu is extremely pleased with their performance.
In order to end the ongoing problem on the Plateau, he asked them to keep up their good work.
