There’s been an ongoing dispute between Bala Mohammed and Samuel Ortom and this is as a result of the recent debates surrounding the reports of herdsmen attacks kidnappings and the issues of open grazing.
As a result of the open misunderstanding from the two governors who happen also to be political role models, the Northern Governors Forum has decided to intervene in the altercation between the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom.
Recall that the two governors have earlier on engaged each other in a public spat over the proprietary of open grazing and Fulani herdsmen carrying assault rifles for protection.
Meanwhile reacting to the present situation, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai confirmed the development, in an interview with newsmen, at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, in Abuja.
When quizzed on the situation between the two northern governors, and how things are presently between them, El Rufai responded by stating that;
“I just left Kaduna, we had a meeting of the Northern State Governors, Bauchi State Governor, Benue Governor was there, it will be sorted out, it could be differences in opinion. It is not fundamental.
“We are all committed to solving the problem of movement up and down by the herders because once we solve that problem, the clashes between farmers and herders will reduce significantly.
“It will be sorted out, there will always be differences in opinion but not fundamental. The Northern State Governors Forum is committed in ending the nomadic movement of cattle and people in the shortest possible time and we are all working.”
According to news sources, the general public are already getting fed up with the constant negative stories being reported daily all over the news and social media platforms, and are eagerly hoping for something drastic to be done with regards to the whole controversies between of herders and farmers, as well as the resultant ugly incidence of rape kidnappings, robberies and trespassing, all as an offshoot of open grazing.
In the opinion of well meaning Nigerians, it is time for a well thought out plan and coordinated process to properly cushion the negativity surrounding the policy on cattle herders and also to better execute and manage whatsoever challenges that might eventually result from incidence of open grazing on farm owners and herdsmen.
Gift Joseph Okpakorese
Staff Writer
