Over the years, in most parts of the country, herders and farmers have been at dagger drawn over land; for grazing and agricultural purposes. In Benue, the situation is not different. Despite concerted government efforts, conflict between livestock and crop farmers has continued unabated with both parties incurring unquantifiable loses in both human lives and properties.
In its continuous efforts to ensure peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Benue state, Search For Common Ground, a Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, recently brought the two parties to the discussion table.
The meeting was an inter dialogue forum which brought together farmers and herders from Guma Local Government Area of the state.
The inter dialogue meeting also had in attendance distinct groups; traditional rulers, the clergy, Civil Society Organisations, representatives of government among others.
The aim of the meeting was to dialogue, highlight key conflict issues faced by the groups, address and analyse them and develop joint solutions to prevent violence not only in Guma, but in other parts of the state ravaged by the crisis.
The farmers and herders numbering over 70 who were present at the discussion table expressed joy at the peace initiative describing it as a welcome development. They said living in Benue state over years, their families have shared same facilities like schools, markets as well as hospitals and boarded same vehicles among others, hence the need for peace.
They agreed that there was need for peace among them stating that the crisis between them have always been fuelled by unscrupulous elements among them.
Speaking at the meeting, both farmers and herders identified major causes of the conflicts.
While the herders said rustling and killing of their cattle by farmers was the major cause of the conflict, they also accused security operatives of taking sides with the farmers and threatening to kill their cattle without any reason.
The herders further blamed inadequate awareness and alternatives for herders before the anti-open grazing law, lack of patience and tolerance on both sides as well as lack of trust as reasons for the crisis.
The herder group also complained that farmers have treated them like second class citizens because they believed that they (farmers) were more educated so they take the herders for-granted and whenever there was a conflict between them, they report herders to security operatives.
On their part, farmers claimed it was lack of unity, oneness, unforgiveness and shared bitterness of the past and wrong method or approaches in conflict handling.
The farmers also had other complaints which included that the headers have carried out unprecedented violence across the state killing more farmers especially in Mbabai, Cambe and other Communities in Guma LGA.
The farmers also lamented wanton destruction of farm products/inputs and crops by herders, rape, displacement of people and continuous fear of going to the farm.
‘Our children cannot go to school because of fear of being killed. There is hunger and poverty across all the affected communities. In Mbadwen community in particular, there is destruction of schools, clinics and churches by herders.
They also named misinterpretation of information as contained in the anti open grazing law, climate change, negative inducement by external factor and politicians, inclusion of foreign herders into the community, Bokoloji and language barriers as part of the challenges.
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However, at the end of the meeting, both parties recommended that farmers and herders should provide platforms for addressing the identified issues.
The herders who urged government to look into the anti-open grazing law by reviewing it, called for inclusive governance, good leadership and a robust justice system.
They also appealed to government to provide them space to graze their cattle in Guma LGA.
The herders said there should be trust and confidence between farmers and herders to strengthen peaceful relationship. “We should always accept our faults when wrong and apologize when necessary because without peace the nation cannot move forward. Parents and youths should come together and live in peace and harmony by bringing up the children properly and letting them know that peace is paramount and has no alternative,” they said.
Farmers particularly recommended that stakeholders from both parties (Farmer & Herders) should organize a community dialogue to sensitize their people and proffer solutions that would bring about peace. “Media and security agencies should be involved during the meetings for safety,” they also said.
They called for establishment of ranches across the state and not just in the state capital alone and cautioned that herders should not destroy their farms or crops.
They cautioned the youths to desist from cattle rustling and called for consistent dialogue, positive negotiation, constant enlightenment and training of community stakeholders to forestall future occurrences.
Speaking to The Next Edition after the meeting, a participant and Chairman of Security Architecture for Dialogue in Guma LG, Rev.Justine Sukwa said the meeting was a welcomed development.
He said both parties needed to come to a discussion table to shift grounds for the sake of peace, “so we appreciate Search a lot for this.”
Rev. Sukwa who is also the chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in Guma LGA said the clergy in conjunction with other civil societies have carried out sensitization in the local government to ensure that all hands were on deck for the return of peace in Benue.
Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Herdsmen, Shehu Tambaya also commended Search for summoning the meeting, saying it would compliment government’s efforts at bringing lasting peace to the state.
Tambaya, who advised both the herders and farmers to embrace peace, urged the herders to always point out and report the strangers among them. He assured them that the Ortom led government was doing everything humanly possible to ensure the peaceful coexistence of all the people living in Benue.
The Senior Program Manager, Mrs Olutoyin Falade and the State Project Coordinator for Search, Chorbe Joshua expressed happiness that the interaction brought about a lot of changed in perception leading to shifting of grounds. They said both parties have been urged to protect each other’s interest and have understood that peace was the utmost.
While some farmers and herders expressed joy for sitting together to discuss the way forward, Falade said she was confident that the dialogue would lead to permanent resolution of the conflicts.
