Former Agriculture Minister Audu Innocent Ogbeh has absolved the Fulani community of blame for the ongoing clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria.
Speaking at an event in Abuja, the 75-year-old emphasized that indigenous Fulani people and Nigerian cattle were not responsible for the current troubles plaguing the country, particularly the issues of hunger and poverty caused by insecurity in farmlands.
Ogbeh, who was the lead keynote speaker at the launch of the Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) champions in Nigeria, proposed that the problem of insecurity could be effectively addressed through appropriate measures. He argued that local communities were well aware of the troublemakers involved, except for foreign herders from neighboring nations.
He attributed this situation to a treaty signed during the administration of former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Highlighting the flaw in the agreement, Ogbeh explained that the treaty permitted cattle from West African countries, such as Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal, to graze freely in Nigeria. However, many of these foreign herders arrived armed and were reluctant to return to their home countries due to the abundance of grass in Nigeria. Unfortunately, some of them resorted to violence, including the killing of local farmers, as a means to stake a claim on the lands.
Ogbeh called for the cancellation of the grazing agreement and emphasized the need for a thorough review of the issue to prevent further chaos. He pointed out that Nigeria's interests should be prioritized and protected above all else.
To support his stance, he mentioned having copies of the grazing law signed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and expressed his intention to present them to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He also urged other West African nations to establish their own ranches.
When asked about the significance of young people in agriculture, Ogbeh stressed that they represent the future and cannot shirk their responsibilities. He acknowledged that the farming population is aging and called for assistance and empowerment to encourage young farmers to drive the agricultural revolution.
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