Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, on Saturday called on the Federal Government to seek a review of the West African Protocols that allowed for free movement to stop armed herdsmen migration to Northern Nigeria.
Governor Ganduje said that the call has become imperative because ”most of the dangerous weapons-carrying herdsmen comes from Mali, Cameroon and other African nations.”
Ganduje said during the inauguration of 200 Ruga Housing Settlements at Dansoshiya village in Kiru Local Government Area of the State for Fulani cattle rearers that there is need for the federal government to use the international blockage created by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to stop the migration of dangerous weapons carrying herdsmen to Nigeria.
Ganduje said “such movements of the herdsmen always cause conflicts and destruction of human lives.”
Sixteen of Nigeria’s 36 States has boundaries with the West African countries of Benin Republic, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Seven of those States share common boundary with Niger alone.
They include Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno. Cameroon has border with Nigerian States of Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue and Cross River.
On the Western flank, Nigerian States of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Niger and Kebbi share common border with Benin Republic.
Out of these, Kebbi shares common border with both Benin Republic and Niger Republic while Borno shares common border with both Cameroon and Niger Republic.
According to the Governor, “one can clearly see that these migrating herdsmen always move with dangerous weapons and are the ones causing conflicts in most places around the North and the nation at large.”
Governor Ganduje used the event to invite herdsmen from across Nigeria to come to Kano and enjoy the bounties of his government’s new Ruga Settlement Scheme.
He noted that the settlement had all the basic infrastructure, including water, grazing reserves and milk processing factory and markets.
Ganduje expressed concern over the long-sufferings of herdsmen whom he said, have suffered enough humiliation in Nigeria by way of loss of lives, stealing and rustling of their cattle and open hostility.
He added that his administration had constructed four million litres of earth dams for the Fulani cattle rearers who would have no cause to move away in search of water.
The Governor said that his government had earlier sent some 74 Fulani children to Turkey to study milk processing and other vital things that would help them to settle down at a place.
Ganduje reminded that a true Fulaniman was not known for violence but because of the alleged humiliation they were usually subjected to, they were being forced to retaliate.
“Today you see a Fulaniman doing robbery, kidnapping and other social vices. Therefore the need for a Ruga Settlement for him is highly desirable,” Ganduje said.
He added that the irony of the whole thing was that a gallon of milk was costlier than a gallon of petrol, which clearly showed that an average Fulaniman was not poor, neither was he stupid.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Kano State Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Malam Zubairu Ibrahim, commended the Governor for fulfilling his promises on the project.
He assured the Governor that they would ensure proper utilisation of the project.
