Farmers/Herders Violent clashes: Panel Calls For Memos

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – As the recently inaugurated Administrative Panel of Inquiry into land disputes between  farmers and herders as a result of land use abuse and illegal allocations in Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, has called on the public for the submission of memoranda.

A statement by the Chairman of the Committee, Yahaya Baba, said that the call for memoranda from members of the public is to facilitate the assignment of the Committee as it cannot go to all the places for such.

The statement states; “In line with the terms of reference of the Administrative Committee of Inquiry into Land Disputes Between Herders and Farmers, constituted by His Excellency, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON, Executive Governor of Bauchi State, the Committee hereby calls for Memoranda from individuals, groups of individuals, organisations, as well as government officials”.

Part of the terms of reference of the Committee include; to visit all the 20 Local Government Areas, particularly, Government Reserve Forests in the State with the aim of ascertaining their sanctity and to investigate and determine if such Government Reserve Areas are being illegally allocated by unauthorised persons or group of persons and those persons who are beneficiaries of such illegal allocations.

It is also to determine the persons or authorities directly or indirectly involved in such illegal allocation of the portion of the Government Forests Reserve Areas as well as to determine all the cattle routes within and outside Forest Reserves, and identify areas or portions of encroachment by farmers among others.

The Committee said that it is opened for the submission of memoranda throughout the period of its assignment, which has already started on the day of its inauguration on July 8, 2020, and has four (4) weeks to submit its final report from the date of inauguration.

It further said that the memoranda should be submitted to the Chairman, Administrative Committee of Inquiry into Land Disputes Between Herders and Farmers, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Floor No. 1, Abubakar Umar Secretariat (State Secretariat), Opposite Central Bank of Nigeria, Bauchi.