The Abia state government has put in place a machinery to nip in the bud, any conflict that could break out from cattle herdsmen and farmers disagreements.
The State Government has constituted a farmers/herdsmen conflict resolution committee to mediate in all disagreements between herdsmen and farmers in the state.
It also directed each traditional ruler in the 898 communities of the state to submit the names of 10 youths each, who are to be drafted in the Abia Vigilante Services.
The names are to be submitted between May 10 and 11, 2016, while men of the Vigilante Services, who will undergo a two-week intensive training before their deployment, will be under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police and are to assist the police in community policing.
These were disclosed in a statement issued by Mr Godwin Adindu, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, in Umuahia, the state capital on Friday.
The statement also disclosed that the conflict resolution committee has been constituted in the 17 local government areas of the state.
“The Commissioner of Police will head the committee. The members of the committee are: The Brigade Commander, State Director of Department of State Services, State Commandant of the NSCDC, the Naval Commander, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Miyetti Allah and Sarkin Hausawa.
“The Local Government Council Chairmen will head the committees in their LGAs while members of the committees are Divisional Police Officers in the LGAs, Local Government Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps heads; the Department of State Services Local Government Chiefs, LGA Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Council and LGA Heads of Hausa communities.
“The state government has mandated the law enforcement agencies to search and screen all trucks and vehicles conveying livestock, food items and persons into the state from any part of the country.
“The law enforcement agencies will also search and screen markets and settlements where livestock and dealers are, to ensure security,” the statement said in part.
The state government also directed a compulsory search and screening of all trucks and vehicles conveying livestock, food items and persons into the state from any part of the country.
“The law enforcement agencies will also search and screen markets and settlements where livestock and dealers are, to ensure security.”
The government described the alleged killing of a butcher by a soldier at the popular abattoir located at the Ogbor hill area of Aba, as an unfortunate incident and urged residents of Aba to remain calm and reassured that government was doing everything to protect lives and property.
Eze Afrika
