The Katsina government has inaugurated an ad hoc farmer-herder conflict prevention and resolution committee.

Inaugurating the committee, the secretary to the state government, Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, said, “This is a very sensitive issue. We saw the need for the committee to monitor these activities so as to avert any negative consequences or situation in our society.”

The ad hoc committee is headed by Salisu Abdu, the permanent secretary of the cabinet and security at the governor’s office.

Mr Garba-Faskari urged committee members to conduct a sensitisation drive to inculcate peace and harmonious coexistence between herders and farmers and ensure herders’ peaceful transit and exit.

The committee, he said, would work with local government councils, traditional institutions and the Fulani cultural associations on modalities to avert farmers/herders clash.

Mr Garba-Faskari also inaugurated a standing committee to sensitise the people on protecting public property, codenamed ‘Gyara Kayanka’.

“Governor Dikko Radda set up the committee because of the nonchalant attitude of the people every now and then on public property. The committee’s terms of reference include to sensitise them to protect this infrastructure because it belongs to them. They are better off protecting these infrastructures.

“People should understand the implications of not giving support in this direction. If anything happens to these infrastructures, it means the government will spend more money repairing the damaged property or replacing them,” he said.

(NAN)