Linus Oota, Lafia
Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has ordered the immediate evacuation of all the gazetted grazing reserves that were dedicated for herdsmen but occupied by farmers.
Governor Al-Makura gave the order, on Monday, while addressing journalists shortly after receiving, in audience, the Presidential Sub-Committee on Herdsmen and Farmers Conflict, led by its chairman and governor of Ebony State, Dave Umahi, in Lafia.
Al-Makura, who said the action was in his bid to resolve the lingering crisis between farmers and herdsmen, noted that what was very important to resolve the lingering conflict was the issue of land for grazing.
According to him, “We in Nasarawa State foresaw this problem. We have stated taking stock of history and data of our grazing reserves to find out those who have encroached upon them to move out to create more opportunities for farming and grazing,” he stated.
Al-Makura maintained that he believed the evacuation of grazing reserves exercise was to ensure that all the gazetted grazing reserves, dedicated for herdsmen, were evacuated by whoever that might have occupied them.
“Even if it is government agency that has built any structure there must move out. People that have occupied them; whether they are communities, farmers, companies, we would have to get them out,” he vowed.
He, therefore, explained that the Nasarawa State has about seven grazing reserves measuring about 1,000 kilometres scattered across the state.
Therefore, Governor Al-Makura suggested that the solutions to farmers/herdsmen crisis in the country was to ensure that all the grazing reserves that had been earmarked for grazing should be dedicated to the herders.