President Bola Tinubu has established a presidential committee tasked with reforming the livestock industry and finding lasting solutions to the recurring clashes between herders and farmers in Nigeria. Tinubu, while speaking in Abuja on Thursday, blamed past Nigerian leaders for their inability to resolve this conflict.
The committee was established following the submission of a report from the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria. It was convened by Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the former Kano Governor and Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), and the identities of the committee members were not disclosed.
In a statement issued by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the official spokesperson and special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Tinubu emphasized that the persistence of the herders and farmers conflict was not the fault of the herders and farmers themselves, but rather the fault of the leadership who failed to find immediate solutions.
Tinubu expressed optimism about finding a solution to the problem, stating that the Federal Government is prepared to cover the costs of acquiring the land. This initiative will not only provide gainful employment for veterinary doctors and open doors for the private sector, but also create new educational opportunities for herders and their children. The establishment of medical facilities, as well as the potential for Nigeria to become a net exporter of dairy products, were also highlighted as opportunities for the nation’s growth.
