By Ishola Balogun

A team from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Abuja, recently visited the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos and the Chairman Council of Chiefs, South-west, Muhammadu Abubakar Bambado over the incessant deadly clashes between suspected Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria.

The team, which comprised Conflict Mitigation Officer, Felicia Genet, Program Officer at the USAID, Abuja, Mukhtar Shittu, Program Officer at the USAID Abuja and Meghan Luckett from the Economic and Political Office at the US Consulate General Office in Lagos held a closed door meeting with the monarch at his Palace in Surulere, Lagos.

Herdsmen attending to their cows

The meeting was to discuss the Herdsmen/Farmers Clashes in recent times and proffer lasting solutions to the incessant conflicts.

Founder and Executive Director of Strength in Diversity Development Centre (SDDC), Lagos,  Imam Shefiu Abdulkareem Majemu, who facilitated the interactive session, told Saturday Vanguard after the closed door meeting that “it was to discuss the Herdsmen/Farmers clashes in recent times with a view to seeking lasting solutions to the incessant conflicts.”

According to him, the meeting was also aimed at heralding the beginning of the effort to bring both parties to the dialogue table with its proposed Fulani/Farmers Dialogue Forum that would be held in July this year

The host, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado expressed optimism that such intervention from bodies like the USAID would go a long way in turning the crises into opportunities not only for the two parties involved but to the whole nation at large.

He said, “Without mincing words, clashes between Fulani Herdsmen and farmers have reached a frightening level which calls for concerted efforts from all stake holders – the three tiers of government – Federal, State and Local government authority; the private sector – banks, insurance companies  and business community; cattle owners and of course the herdsmen.”

He enumerated some problems staring the nation in the face to include:

*Rich foraging stock in the North Eastern region of Nigeria is no longer available for use because of the Boko Haram crisis.

*The impact has been a downward, southwards movement by nomadic Fulani herdsmen as they move in search of water and foraging resources for their cows.

*The incessant clashes  have drastically  affected  food security and have caused losses in billions.

*States affected by Herdsmen-Farmers conflicts lost an average of 47% of taxes (Internally Generated Revenue) during these attacks.

*Another economic impacts include: impeding trade practices, reduction in crop yield, displacement of farmers, loss of lives and properties, loss of products in storage and destruction of public and private buildings.