Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Chairman of the Administrative Committee of Inquiry into Land Disputes Between Herders and Farmers in Bauchi State, Surveyor Yahaya Baba, has solicited for the support of the people of the state to enable it find lasting solutions to farmers-herders clashes.
Yahaya Baba made the call in a statement he personally signed, which was distributed to journalists in Bauchi on Monday.
The Chairman said the committee welcomes both written and oral contributions from all stakeholders that will assist it in the discharge of its responsibilities by making any recommendations that will promote permanent resolution of herder/farmer clashes across the State.
He said inline with its terms of reference the committee will visit all 20 Local Government Areas, particularly, Government Reserve Forests in the State with the aim of ascertaining their sanctity.
He assured of the commitment of the committee to investigate and determine if such Government Reserve Areas are being illegally allocated by unauthorised persons or group of persons and those persons who are beneficiaries of such illegal allocations.
Yahaya Baba said the committee will determine the persons or authorities directly or indirectly involved in such illegal allocation of the portion of the Government Forests Reserve Areas.
He said the committee will identify all the cattle routes within and outside Forest Reserves, and areas or portions of encroachment by farmers.
The Chairmam said his committee qout be fair in its recommendations on measures to be taken in order to re-establish the cattle routes, Forest Reserves as well as prevent herder/farmer conflict in the State.
The Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed on 8th July set up the Administrative Committee of Inquiry into Land Disputes Between Herders and Farmers, and asked them to submit their report within 4 weeks from the date of inauguration.