The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says Nigerians must control the movement of their animals if they want to end the incessant clashes between farmers and herders in the country.
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He also urged farmers to stop killing animals that stray into their farms, advising them instead to initiate arrests for better compensation for crop damage.
The CDS made the comments on Wednesday while answering questions from journalists during a press briefing on the forthcoming African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit, scheduled for August 25 in Abuja.
He said, “We must stop killing animals. Traditionally, what we have done before is, if an animal strays into a farm, we arrest it. Then the owner comes, pays a fine, and takes it back. If we do that, we will have peace.
“But it is important that we designate areas where these animals can be kept. They are better off when they are kept on a ranch.
“If you don’t want to call it ranching, call it whatever you like, but provide an area where they don’t need to roam freely.
“I want us, as Nigerians, to look at this so we can address this issue. One of the big security challenges we’re facing is this issue of farmer-herder clashes.”
The CDS emphasised that ranching has many advantages for animal owners and should be embraced without hindrance.
“Once animals move around, they spend energy, become smaller, and produce less milk.
“Why don’t you do that? Why don’t you ranch them? You get the best out of them. So it’s a win-win for all of us,” he said.
He condemned suggestions in some quarters that his advocacy for ranching implied the government should take people’s lands.
He explained, “Some people felt we were encouraging the government to buy farms, but ranching is a business.
“I think anybody interested in ranching should invest in it. Likewise, if state governments are interested in their regions, they should do the same.
“They can also set up model ranch farms for people to follow.
“But what we’re saying is that to address this security situation, we must stop animals from straying into farms.”
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