The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Monday, noted the need to look for ways of dousing the tension in the country because people are hungry and at the same time angry.
The Sultan disclosed this in Abuja, at a national conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts organised by the Kano state government to proffer lasting solution to the farmers-herders’ clashes in the country.
According to him, the clashes between farmers and herders in Benue state has continued because all the suggestions made to the government were not implemented.
In his words, “Let’s keep politics aside. The issues of development especially for the common man should not be prioritised. These people that God Almighty gave us leadership over, one day, God forbid, rise up against us.
“After all these English by professors, how do we get these developments down to the common man who is a farmer, the common Fulani man who doesn’t know anything about development in his life, he only cares about cattle.
“I have been to Benue at least two times as Sultan to sit with the governors and traditional rulers to discuss peace in the Benue valley. At the end of it, the suggestions are thrown away. Nothing is done and we are back to square one. Let this conference not be in the same manner, let’s do it and let’s do well and now.
“The people are hungry – is there money? Akawi kudi? No cash! People are angry and hungry, let’s see how we can douse the tension.”
