The Chief Missioner of Nasrulahi-l Fatih Society (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, has given an insight into why the controversial herders settlement project, RUGA, met stiff opposition.
According to him, that governors bought into the alternative livestock transformation project but resisted RUGA indicates that something went wrong in the manner the latter was presented.
“Why did every governor accept the National Livestock Transformation Policy of the government but some of them kicked against the government genuine efforts to tame the frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen through RUGA (Rural Urban Grazing Area).
“Is it that the policy was not well communicated?
“There is, therefore, the need for government to always endeavour to communicate its policies clearly and not give room for mischief makers to perpetrate their evil intention,” said the NASFAT leader,” Onike said.
The chief missioner urged the Federal Government to prosecute all the criminal elements arrested in connection with various farmers/herders crisis in the country.
In a statement by the organisation on Tuesday in Lagos, he was quoted as saying this at a dinner hosted by British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ms Harriet Thompson.
The dinner was held for some Islamic religious leaders on Monday in Lagos.
He said this should be done after the government must have revealed the identities of those imdicted to Nigerians, with a view to dispelling the rumour and countering the narrative that they were perpetrated only by Muslim.
Onike said that the orgy of violent farmer/herdsmen clashes being experienced in some parts of Nigeria had nothing to do with religion.
He, however, attributed the causes of the clashes in the country to Climate Change, increased urbanisation and lack of mutual trust among the populace.
According to him, recent research results has revealed that one of the key causes of the clashes is the environmental change.
The research, he said, also identified the causes to include lack of government’s efforts to always communicate its policies well to stakeholders and the generality of Nigerians.
Onike advised the government to muster courage and activate the National Livestock Transformation Policy which all the states had bought into in order to end the ongoing farmer/herdsmen crisis.
He assured the envoy of NASFAT readiness to partner with any international friends of Nigeria to make the Nigerian Project a success by ensuring that good interfaith relations and peaceful co-existence thrived in Nigeria.
