The Bauchi State chairman of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Sadique Ibrahim Ahmed has pleaded with the federal and state governments to bring back cattle grazing routes to end the recurring clashes between herders and farmers during farming seasons.
Ahmed told journalists in Bauchi yesterday that if the governments can bring back the cattle grazing routes in existence in the First Republic mainly in Northern Nigeria it will bring lasting solution to the problem.
Ahmed who is the chairman of the Coalition of Fulani Associations in Bauchi State added that a Fulani man is always in the bush and moves his cattle according to the season.
He said, "But today roads and other buildings have taken over the cattle routes that were in place since colonial era which herders used to follow, even the grazing reserve for their cattle was also allocated to some people who used the opportunity and took more than what was allocated to them, left herders with no road except their farms.
"There are cattle routes and grazing grounds and cattle rearers are confined to those areas. Those that go outside those areas are arrested and farmers are asked to come make their claims. If they don't have the money their cattle are sold and farmers are settled.
"So, we have appealed to state governors and the federal government to go back to that again and make sure that they prepare those grazing areas and put the veterinary in place."
According to him, giving herders the care they deserve by providing them with a good environment to rear their animals will address the ill-treatment of Fulani by the authorities.
"It's worrisome what is happening to herders today in Nigeria, many of them were being chased from a place where their forefathers lived for more than 100 years, today a Fulani man is being chased away from a legitimate land he buys with his money, is not fair," he said.
Ahmed lamented the way some government officials and security personnel are extorting herders and urged the government to fish out bad elements among them and punish them according to the law.
