Fulani/Farmers Clashes: Senate Security Committee Visits Nasarawa
By Olorunfemi Ojo
Joint Security Committee of the Senate for three days has been investigating the causes of the Fulani herdsmen clashes with farmers along the borders of Nasarawa and Benue states.
Government of both states and the security committee have also visited some of the communities affected by the violence.
In Nasarawa State, the team held a closed door meeting with the State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, who presented the committee with three volumes of previous government white paper on insecurity.
The Governor at the meeting said that all the necessary information had been provided for the committee to aid it’s investigation.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Governor Al-Makura said, “The issue about this skirmishes, insurgencies, fighting among ourselves or getting people’s houses destroyed, getting people killed are things that will not do us any good.
“Unless and until we find solutions to them, we will be putting our children’s lives into jeopardy and the future might be elusive for all of us.”
He solicited support for the Senate Committee towards achieving the target of getting to the root of the matter, but also advised that
community based conflict resolution remained the best approach to solving crisis.
“The issue of bringing about peace should be everybody’s business”, he said.
Chairman Senate Joint Committee on Security, Mohammadu Magoro, while speaking revealed that the issues of establishing grazing reserves had been raised but a decision had not been made on it.