The National Economic Council (NEC) presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, agreed to stop movement of herdsmen starting with Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna and Plateau.
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi who disclosed this to State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said NEC backed the immediate creation of ranches across the country.
The NEC comprises state governors and relevant ministries of government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Umahi said the five worst affected states which have witnessed killings from the herders/farmers clashes were expected to make land available for ranches.
Already, Niger and Kaduna have given lands while Plateau is about to do so.
He added that with ranching, the nomadic herders and their families would be able to access good medical facilities and good schools for their children. Ranching, he added, would also improve the well-being of the cattle.
Umahi also disclosed that the Federal Government and the affected states would still iron out the interventions expected from the two parties.
He said foreign herdsmen would be expected to show some travel documents, eventhough visa is not needed for movement of West Africans.
Early this year, NEC, disturbed by the constant conflicts between herdsmen and farmers raised a committee of nine governors with the vice president as chairman.
According to Umahi, the committee went into deliberations. After a couple of meetings, they decided that the most five affected states should be visited. So, they came up with a sub-technical committee of three governors, chaired by governor of Ebonyi State, with the governor’s of Plateau and Adamawa as members.
@Sun news paper
