Emir of Bade and Deputy Chairman, Yobe State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman, has banned open grazing at night and warned against the use of underage children for herding cattle in his domain.
The monarch made this known at his palace in Gashua town when the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Yobe State Council, visited him as part of a sensitization campaign to address farmer-herder clashes in the state.
The Royal Father noted the decision was made to promote peace and good neighbourliness within the emirate.
“We have warned herders that they should not encroach on people’s farmlands or allow underage children to graze with cattle at night. This is to prevent the further destruction of farm produce within the area and beyond,” he said.
The Emir explained that these measures were necessary because night grazing and herding by underage children were the primary causes of conflict.
“We are also taking measures to prevent farmer-herder clashes by stopping underage children from rearing animals because we understand that in most cases, these boys cannot control the livestock,” he added.
He encouraged herders to send their children to school for a brighter future instead of sending them to the bush to rear animals.
The Emir, however, admonished farmers to allow herders’ cattle to graze on designated grazing reserves.
The Chairman of the NUJ Yobe State Council, Comrade Rajab Muhammad, had earlier told the monarch that the union was at the palace to seek the Emir’s support in sensitizing farmers and herders on the importance of peace.
He noted that the clashes between farmers and herders are an annual occurrence and that the NUJ is taking measures to reduce the conflict and restore lasting peace to the state.
