Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State says some countries have ranches that are bigger than some states in Nigeria.
He said this while speaking on farmers-herders crisis on Channels Television.
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Justifying the order of President Muhammadu Buhari on grazing reserves, Bagudu said mapping out grazing routes will help to identify the scale of the herder-farmer crisis.
Buhari had recently ordered a committee to review 368 grazing sites across 25 states in the country to determine the levels of encroachment.
This was met with stiff resistance in some parts of the country.
But Bagudu said the president’s directive does not preclude the idea of ranching.
“The committee is to identify grazing routes and work with states and map them. It is not to recover grazing routes, it is to identify the scale of the problem.”
“Mr President is interested in an audit of grazing reserves. It is a voluntary and collaborative thing with the states. People say we have spoken about ranching. Yes, but what is a ranch? Ranching does not take place in the air, it takes place on a piece of land.
“Ranches are as big as grazing reserves. In some countries like Australia, some ranches are bigger than some Nigerian states.
“So how do you know what’s available, what can be supported to host those roving, herding communities who need help to modernise?”
The governor added that the Fulanis are also victims of banditry but many of their stories are not told.
He said many Fulani people are decent and peaceful, adding that some Nigerians do not hear the side of the Fulanis before attributing crimes to them.
“I have met with many Fulani communities in my state, who explained that they are also victims. They are the first victims of kidnapping and castle rustling.”
“It is easier for a drunk child, someone who is abusing drugs, to go to the community where there is no road, no police, no infrastructure to kidnap his cousin or sister and demand for cattle to be sold, for him to be given money.
“They are the major victims of kidnapping and then the wider kidnapping that is conducted by other Fulanis and non-Fulanis, who have come to form criminal gangs.
“Equally, cattle rustling is an activity that is against people who move cattle or who own cattle. A lot of Fulani are naturally victims and they are pauperized by it.
“We don’t even hear their stories. We don’t hear their side. We just think they are complicit. They are not. Majority of them are peaceful and decent people, seeking to make a living,” he added.
