Nigerian Senate set for debate on herdsmen crisis

The Nigerian Senate will on Tuesday debate the clashes between farmers and herdsmen in many parts of the country.

Leader of the Senate, Yahaya Abdullahi said his deputy, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, who represents Ondo North in the National Assembly, will come up with a motion on the issue today.

While noting that local political leaders should be encouraged to find a lasting solution, Abdullahi said the Federal Government has a role to play in resolving the crisis.

“With some kind of ethnic colouration of the herders/farmers clashes, urgent attention is required at various levels of government to prevent them from further escalation,” he said.

“These are kind of crises that must be addressed promptly and squarely in preventing ethnic entrepreneurs from hijacking the whole situation and putting the country in danger.

“There are existential issues that have set communities that have hitherto lived together peacefully, against each other either for political advantage or political matters.

“I think these are issues that should be resolved at the local level either through dialogue anchored on the spirit of give and take.”

The lawmaker said the Senate is worried by the security threats in the country, including armed banditry and Boko Haram insurgency.

He warned that if the issue remains unabated, there can’t be a development where there is no peace.