By Emma Amaize & Festus Ahon

ASABA—THE Police and leadership of herdsmen in Delta State, have came up with a 12-point recommendation to tackle the incessant hostilities between herdsmen and communities in the state.

The meeting/dialogue was convened by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, to hear from the leaders of the herdsmen the reasons for the continued clashes and the way forward.

Key among the resolutions was that “a joint task force comprising all security agencies, representatives of the host communities and the herdsmen be established to handle all issues relating to communities and herdsmen conflict.”

National Police Cap

Others are: “That the  Delta State Government be advised to initiate an amnesty programme for all previous offenders as a way of encouraging mop up of arms; registration of new herdsmen and their herds at the identified entry points, and resident herdsmen should checkmate and report to the Joint Task Force or the nearest police formation any criminal activities of visiting/nomadic herdsmen.”

They also resolved that “night grazing and child rearers be eschewed; consent of host communities must be obtained before movement into and settlement in any community by herdsmen. There must be prompt payment of compensation for destruction of crops/farmland by herdsmen and a unified body/organisation be established by the herdsmen to oversee the affairs of the herdsmen to replace the multiple organisations/leadership currently in existence.

“There should be constant town hall meetings/sensitisation of the leadership of the host communities and herdsmen to be anchored by the task force; issues raised in this communiqué be communicated to other neighbouring states and  all murder, kidnapping, robbery and rape cases involving the herdsmen be thoroughly investigated by the police command.”