Criminal Herdsmen Waging War Against Nigeria – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday that terrorists, who disguise themselves as pastoralists are largely responsible for the frequent clashes in the north where thousands of people have been killed and property worth several millions of Naira destroyed.
President Jonathan, represented by the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, was speaking to participants at a two-day International Conference on Security and Development Challenges of Pastoralists in West and Central Africa held in Kaduna and organised by the office of the National Security Adviser.
The theme of the conference was “The Role of Pastoralists in Preventing Insurgency and Conflicts for National Security”.
Announcing that his government is committed to the development of the nation’s agricultural sector as a business aimed at turning the nation into a global agricultural power house, he said the activities of insurgents had seriously over stretched the nation’s security and adversely affected the nation’s economic growth.
The President noted that the frequency of drought in the north had enhanced constant movement of herdsmen towards the south in search of greener pastures; a situation, he said had exposed pastoralists to lots of challenges and loss of herds due to rustling, diseases and associated conflicts.
President Jonathan urged all stakeholders to collectively work for the peace and stability of Nigeria rather than resort to violence.
On the frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, said “the frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen are no longer an agricultural problem, but a national security problem which need an integrated set of solutions that include agriculture and security”.
He also announced that the Federal Government will establish more grazing routes for cattle herdsmen across Nigeria as a means of tackling the incessant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers especially in the north.
Participants at this conference believe that if all the recommendations reached by stakeholders at the end of the event are implemented by policy makers, the incessant clashes between pastoralists and farmers will be drastically reduced to the barest minimum.