Lamido Proposes Scientific Approach To Resolve Herdsmen, Farmers Crisis

A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, believes the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers in many states of the Federation can be curbed by more scientific use of land.

Lamido, gave the advice during an exclusive interview on Channels Television’s special political programme, Roadmap 2019.

“For how long do we continue with this kind of culture – roaming around with animals as pastoralist, and using our physical energy (using hoe) to produce food for ourselves? It’s all about applying science and our common sense,” he said.

The former governor, who is now a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noted that the root of the crisis was the increasing scarcity of land for the herders and the farmers.

He, however, called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to change the situation and tackle the conflict which has claimed many lives, especially in the Northern region of the country.

Lamido asked the Federal Government to take a cue from the United States and other developed countries where farmers and herders do not have any reason to clash over land usage.

“People have been dying for so many years; for how long do we keep on killing ourselves? What is the cause?” he questioned. “It’s simply because of contempt between the herders and the farmers for land.”

“The farmer thinks the more land he has the more he has, and the pastoralist thinks the more he moves around the more the cows will eat.”

Since the beginning of the year, scores of people have been killed and property destroyed as a result of the crisis, with Benue and Plateau being part of the most affected states.

For the full interview with former Governor Lamido, watch Roadmap 2019 on Monday at 9:00 pm on Channels Television.