Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has called on the federal government to halt the movement of herdsmen from other African countries into Nigeria. Ganduje said this would help to end the incessant conflicts between crop farmers and herders, which often snowball into violent bloody confrontations.
The governor spoke on Saturday during the commissioning of 25 housing units under the RUGA settlement project at Dansoshiya forest, in Kiru Local Government Area. He said this was the first batch of 200 housing units earmarked for construction under the scheme.
Ganduje said the foreign herders must be stopped “because they come to this country with guns and other weapons, which flames the clashes between herders and farmers.
“Since they bring with them such weapons, they bring crimes and criminality into the country.”
‘Even after the Covid-19 interstate border lockdown, the border closure should remain to prevent Fulani herders from West Africa to come into the country. Such migration should be prevented.”
He said, “Their movement is what brings to us all sorts of clashes between herders and other communities, apart from their clashes with farmers.”
He disclosed that Dansoshiya RUGA would serve as the nucleus of the RUGA settlement project in the state.
Ganduje explained that the state engaged in the project for three main reasons. “First and foremost is to avoid clashes between farmers and herders, secondly, to avoid movement of herders, which is the source of conflict, and to avoid cattle rustling.”
He said, “It is absolutely necessary to improve and modernise breeding system for Fulani cattle. As it is clear that a gallon of milk is more expensive than one gallon of petrol, it is therefore necessary for us to utilise this great opportunity.”
The governor promised to build a school and hospital in the settlement, so that the people settling there could get access to good health delivery system and be educated. He promised that the second RUGA project would be at Falgore forest, where a military training ground was recently inaugurated.
Ganduje invited Fulanis across the country to come to Kano RUGA settlement, assuring, “Other units of the housing will continue, as we are receiving more Fulanis from other places.”
Speaking at the event, Managing Director of the State Investment and Properties Company (KSIP), who is also Chairman of the state RUGA Committee, Dr. Jibrilla Muhammad, commended the pace of work on the project and assured of its success.
Managing Director of the State Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), Mr. Munir Gwarzo, disclosed that two million liters of water would be provided for the settlement and other towns around when completed. Gwarzo stated that work had started at the site, but was only stopped due to the lockdown arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
