Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo, has advised the Federal Government of Nigeria to start the proposed Ruga settlement for herdsmen in the Sambisa Grazing Reserve in Borno State, TheCable reports.
Sambisa, which is a national forest reserve, has served as a hide-out for Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria’s northeast region.
Obaseki made the comments while speaking at a lecture in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said, “The Sambisa Grazing Reserve is an ideal and symbolic place to take-off by establishing a ranch run by the military. It would significantly improve the security situation in the zone and encourage cooperation between pastoralists and the military.”
The governor called on the Nigerian Army to collaborate with pastoralist to create ranches, “in the Gidan Jaja Grazing Reserve (565,000 ha) for the same purpose of improving security and cooperation with pastoralists (NWGPG, 2018).”
He said it is important for the Federal Government to make a distinction between conflict as a result of economic activities and deliberate conflict which is related to terrorism.
Obaseki called on the Federal Government to invest in other businesses apart from pastoralist and herdsmen to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
