Beyond the Meeting of Stakeholders on Herdsmen/Farmers Conflict

The Ministry of Interior convened a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday in Abuja to try to find a lasting solution to the herdsmen/farmers conflict in the country, which has led to the deaths of hundreds of people over the years, with a curious escalation in recent times.

Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.), said at the inaugural meeting that the federal government was considering a definitive policy that will involve all stakeholders and security agents to tackle the lingering conflict between pastoralists and farmers.

Nigerians have seen too many inquests and reports on the clashes between itinerant herdsmen and host communities to be excited about the inauguration of another conference on the matter.

Like Dambazzau observed during the stakeholders meeting, “There have been a number of committees and think-tank type investigations into the conflict in the past.” What remains is for the federal government to have the political will to do the right thing and avoid the senseless bloodletting and destructions occasioned by the avoidable conflict.
– Vincent Obia