Famers/Fulani Conflicts May Cause Chaos In Auyo Local Government Of Jigawa If Allowed To Escalate

Umar Akilu Majeri

As Jigawa State Government is doing its best to curtail farmers/herdsmen conflict and provide grazing reserves to Fulani Pastoralists as well as water in all the 81 grazing reserves, there has been a different story in Auyo local government of Jigawa as Fulani Herdsmen and Framers are at logger over who owns the forest in the past one hundred years.

An investigation conducted by our reporter found out that the Fulanis who were among the victims said they were originally born and brought up there but that out of nowhere the local government share the forest with the farmers.

When contacted Hardo Hussaini Damina said their people have been living in that area for the past 100 years but because of some selfish interest, the forest was allocated to farmers.

He said if the government didn’t take measure on the matter it will affect their living condition, he, therefore, urged the state government to come to their aid to revoke the allocations given to the farmers and return them to graze their animal since originally it was a grazing forest and not farmland.

When contacted the Executive Secretary Farmers/Herdsmen board Dr. Rabiu Miko Babura he said the board is liaising with security agencies working in the state to prevent the occurrence of conflicts in the area.

Miko said the issue affecting the farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the Forrest of Auyo local government is a serious issue as he said that the crisis started in the last 20 years though it was resolved in the past.

When contacted the Auyo local government area spokesman Malam Muhammed Umar said the issue has already been resolved.

He pointed out that the Fulani person who spoke on Freedom Radio lie, adding that what he said was not true. He said that Fulani people were not originally residing in that forest and that the forest is owned by the local government and not the Fulani pastoralists as claimed by the Fulani groups.