By Omeiza Ajayi

The Federal Government has blamed security agencies in the country for not invoking provisions of the relevant laws to stem the growing wave of violent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and sedentary farmers in some parts of the country.

This came hours after the government had blamed the social media for fuelling much of the crisis.

Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) had at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on Pastoralists-Sedentary Farmers’ conflict in Nigeria on Thursday berated the Social Media for its unsavoury role in fuelling much of the crisis, especially as it relates to reprisals.

According to Dambazau, “the rise of the social media and the internet has given scope to non-traditional media outlets which has seen interest groups frame stories surrounding the conflict in ways that have tend to undermine the corporate existence of Nigeria”.

However, in a communique issued at the end of the meeting which was made available to journalists on Friday, participants noted the complex nature of the conflict and its international dimension which necessitates a multi-dimensional approach to its resolution through an all stakeholders dialogue.

While the communique also noted the significance of the Niger/Benue basin for various agricultural activities attracting both pastoralists and sedentary farmers, it blamed law enforcement agencies by not enforcing duly-enacted national laws and regional protocols.

The communique “observed the existence of a number of duly enacted national laws and policies, as well as regional protocols, but which are not implemented or enforced by the several national law enforcement agencies and institutions”.