President Mahammadu Buhari has urged the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde to engage local leadership over farmer-herder clashes in the state.
In an exclusive interview with Channels, Buhari noted that herders and farmers have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations, but wondered what went wrong.
He said: “go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.
“For example, there were two Governors that came to see me about problems – Oyo state and one other state – because the herders were in their forests but the animals were going into the neighbouring farms, and eating the crops; I said, as far as I know, the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations. Let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.
“The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals.
“So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities