Ganduje urges FG to ban foreign herdsmen from entering Nigeria

From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano

Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has advocated for immediate ban of foreign herdsmen from entering Nigeria.

Ganduje is of the opinion that stopping foreign herdsmen from operating in Nigeria will further help in solving problems of insecurity in the country.

He spoke at the weekend in Kiru Local Government Area, while commissioning 25 housing units at RUGA Settlement Project, Dansoshiya Forest.

Ganduje hinted that, “this is the first batch of the housing units of 25 out of 200 units earmarked for construction.”

According to him, to curb crimes and criminalities attached to Fulani-herders conflict across the country, the Federal Government should put a halt to the movement of herdsmen from other African countries to the country.

According to him, the call was necessary in order to, “successfully and effectively prevent the coming of herdsmen from other African countries, because they come to this country with guns and other weapons which flame the clash between herders and farmers.

“As they come with such weapons, they take crimes and criminalities to the country, adding that, “That movement is what brings to us all sort of clashes between herders and other communities, apart from with farmers.”

He added that Dansoshiya RUGA would serve as nucleus of RUGA settlement project in the state, explaining that, “we engage in this project for three fundamental reasons, first and foremost is to avoid clashes betwhen farmers and herders, secondly to avoid movement of herders which is the source of conflict and to avoid cattle rustling.”

Ganduje also promised to provide adequate security in the RUGA settlement that will combat cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed robbery among other criminalities.

“It is absolutely necessary to improve and modernise breeding system for Fulani cattle. As it clear that a gallon of milk is more expensive than one gallon of petrol, it is therefore necessary for us to utilize this great opportunity,” he added.

He promised to construct school and hospital in the settlement, so that the people settling there could get access to good healthcare delivery system and education, promising that, “the second RUGA project will be in Falgore forest, where we have recently inaugurated military training ground.”

Ganduje invited Fulanis across the country to come to Kano RUGA settlement, assuring that, “other units of the housing will continue as we are receiving more Fulanis from other places.”

The Managing Director of the State Investment and Properties Company (KSIP) who is also the Chairman of the state RUGA Committee, Dr Jibrilla Muhammad assured Ganduje that the work done is of good quality, adding that, “we are appreciative that His Excellency does not relent in this project.

“It is satisfying to note that, Kano state has excelled in this RUGA project among all other states of the federation. It may interest our governor to know that, many Fulanis come to thank you, through us, whenever we are at the site, Sir.”

Ganduje also inspected Dam project taking place at the RUGA settlement, which would, according to the Managing Director of State Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA) Engr. Munir Ahmad Gwarzo, produce two Million litres of water when completed, serving the settlement and other towns around.

Gwarzo, however, lamented that “the work started in earnest, but we stopped due to the lockdown brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are using this opportunity, on behalf of the Fulanis settling here and the people of these communities, thanking His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for the kind gesture.”

In his brief remarks at the Dam site, Ganduje promised that the work would resume immediately after the COVID-19 lockdown, “meanwhile, before the completion of the Dam, we constructed five Solar boreholes for those settling now.”