The Fulani herdsmen association believe some state governors have a hand in the regular clashes between the group and the locals.
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Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, on Thursday insisted that state governors were responsible for the crisis between farmers and herdsmen across the country.
National Secretary of MACBAN, Baba Ngelezarma made the remark during a town hall meeting organised by the Federal Government in Abuja.
Ngelezarma also noted that the body was not opposed to ranching across the country. He, however, noted that government should make ranching attractive to herdsmen.
Ngelezarma also exonerated the Federal Government from the persistent crisis. He said, “We are not opposed to ranching. All that we are saying is let’s begin to identify grazing reserves, let us know their current status in view of developing them and making them attractive to the pastorialist. The cow to them is a thing of prestige, a means of livelihood.
“You have to put something in place for them to see before you accept. A lot has been said about this issue. Up till now, nobody is looking at the root cause of the crisis and the people responsible are the state governors.
“How I wish that Chairman of the Governors forum or Northern Governors Forum was here. He is supposed to be here. All the grazing reserves we have in the country are located in the Northern part of the country.
“The state governors have more responsibilities than the federal government because this is their primary assignment. They are the custodians of the land, they are the custodians of security, education in their states. The federal government’s hand are tied, we know that.”