By Muyideen Aliyu, Ilorin
In an effort to address armed banditry and security challenges, the Kwara State Government will, as a matter of priority, educate Fulani herders’ children to make them become useful members of society and future leaders.
The State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, stated this at a security meeting organised by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) for herders, security agencies, and other stakeholders across the 16 local government areas in Ilorin.
AbdulRazaq, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Strategy, Abdulsalam Atiku, said educating Fulani children would prevent them from joining bad groups, stressing that the fight against insecurity requires a well-organised strategy through the use of education to enlighten the people on the dangers of engaging in criminal activities.
AbdulRazaq said the Fulani should be educated on the need to adopt modern methods of rearing cattle as against the old method of roaming the bushes. He added that the state government had brought lots of interventions for herders across the 16 local government areas of the state to support their vocations.
He advised Fulani leaders to renew their commitments towards security and ensure better welfare for their people, noting that ending farmers/herders clashes requires collective efforts.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Herdsmen and Community Outreach, Hajiya Aishatu Yusuf Baruten, said the state government was committed to ensuring that security in the nooks and crannies of the state was properly managed. She urged residents of Fulani communities to support the state government’s efforts in the maintenance of law and order.
Also, the Member representing Banni/Adena State Constituency at the Kwara State House of Assembly, Saidu Baba, said the problem of insecurity should be tackled with all the necessary strength it deserves. He decried that banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling have become a nightmare to the state and the country as a whole.
He said the state legislators would continue to enact laws that would reduce the security challenges to the minimum. He called for the collaboration of all stakeholders to ensure that security challenges become a thing of the past.
The Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Kwara State Chapter, Alhaji Shehu Garba, said the issue of insecurity has made life unbearable for Fulani herders. He advised the herders to support government efforts aimed at bringing an end to the security challenges bedevilling them. He added that the situation, if not given the required attention, may lead to the collapse of livestock farming in the state and the country in general.
The Hardon Hardodi (Fulani Leader) in Kwara State, Alhaji Ojonla Mahmud, represented by Ali Muhammed Jowuro, said Fulani herders would ensure adequate support for government initiatives to end insecurity at all levels. He enjoined the herders to ensure vigilance and report any suspicious movement around them to the security agencies for prompt action.
The State Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Abdulazeez Mohammed, said the meeting was to raise their voice over the security challenges in the state, particularly in Kwara South. He said the herders were being abducted daily with their source of livelihood taken away.
Mohammed said the security situation had led to the abandonment of communities by the Fulani for fear of being killed, as the herders were often seen as troublemakers and faced persecution in society, which made life unbearable for them. He further appealed to all stakeholders to support government efforts to ensure peace and security in the affected communities across the state.