From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Fulani community in Ogun State have expressed confidence in the ability of the state’s Peace Keeping Committee on Farmers-Herders, conflict set up by the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun, to resolve the protracted crisis.
MACBAN South-West Chairman Sarikin Fulani in Ogun State Muhammed Kabir Labar stated this position on Monday while speaking with newsmen shortly after the inaugural meeting of the committee, which held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He declared that his association has a strong belief in the ability of the Kayode Oladele led 20-man committee at getting to the root of the clashes between farmers and herders and proffer permanent solutions towards maintaining peaceful coexistence of people in the affected areas.
Labar urged all the affected communities affected in Yewa North and Imeko-Afon Local Government Areas to remain calm and cooperate with the committee members towards ensuring that it succeeds in its mission.
‘Our belief is that the committee is working perfectly in conjunction with all the stakeholders towards ensuring that we get results and that the conflict is totally resolved,’ Labar stated.
‘We are calling on all the communities affected to remain calm and that the committee will get to them in its fact-inding mission and relay such to the state government as well as all the other agencies involved, so that we can continue to enjoy the peaceful coexistence that we had in the past.
‘Our belief is firm in this process and by the special grace of God, we will have in thus state again,’ the Ogun Sarikin Fulani stated.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the Committee, Kayode Oladele, disclosed that the state government was not unaware of the degree of damages, loss of properties and lives recorded on both sides, declaring his committee will not shy away from faithfully discharging its responsibility towards ensuring that peace and tranquility return to the state.
Oladele said that the 20-man committee has been divided into four other sub-committees to enable it complete its assignment within the time frame given to it by the state government.
According to the chairman, the first sub-committee will be saddled with the responsibility of finding the root causes of the conflict, while the second committee is to determine the levels of damage and compensation to the victims.
The other sub-committee will be in charge of administering palliatives to the victims, while the last sub-committee will evolve a workable lasting solutions that will guarantee peaceful coexistence of the people in the affected areas.