‘Jigawa requires N2.4bn to demarcate cattle routes, grazing lands’

By Ukandi Odey
Jos

Jigawa state government has empowered 200 women with 600 goats in Buji local government area of the state.
Information Officer of the local government, Ali Safiyanu, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Dutse, the state capital.
The goats were distributed to the beneficiaries in the 11 wards of the local government under the Goat Rearing/Breeding Loans Scheme introduced to empower women in the state.
By Muhammad Aliyu
Dutse

Jigawa state government   requires the whopping sum of no less than N2.4 billion to upgrade and demarcate cattle routes and grazing lands in the state as the only lasting solution to annual herders and farmers clashes which caused havoc in the state.
Executive secretary, state Farmers and Pastoralists Board, Dr. Rabi’u Miko Babaura, in his address during a meeting of farmers and pastoralists with the security agencies as well as other stakeholders in Dutse yesterday.
According to him, the state has more than 120, 000 cattle routes and that to demarcate of or fence each one government needs not less than N20 million.
While thanking the deputy governor, Barrister Ibrahim Hassan, and the acting state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Momoh Umaru, for organising the meeting, he urged all stakeholders to play their roles in tackling the farmers and pastoralists’ clashes.
Earlier, the police boss said the police in collaboration with sister security agencies, had been making efforts to curtail the problems of farmers and Fulani pstoralists.
In his remarks, the state chairman of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACCABAN), Alhaji Sai’du Musa Gagarawa, called for the printing of calendar which will spell out time for movement of animals after harvests, while farmers should harvest their crops in time.
He lamented that authorities concerned usually prosecuted only herders whenever they encroached on farms, had not seen a single case where a farmer was dealt with, according to the law of the land, if he or she encroached on cattle routes.