The Federal Government has jettisoned its plan to establish cattle colonies across the country as panacea to frequent herdsmen/farmers clashes across the country, urging states to find their own solutions to the menace.
However, the Federal Government may deploy troops to any state to flush out bandits and mercenaries posing as herdsmen to foment trouble.
Recall that the National Economic Council had two weeks ago set up a working group headed by Vice President to find solutions to the herdsmen/farmers clashes across the country.
The committee comprised nine governors across the nation, including Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue and Darius Ishaku of Taraba, whose states have been most affected.
The committee had backed the establishment of cattle colonies as solution to the menace.
However, it was forced to abandon the cattle colony solution after widespread condemnation of the idea.
A source close to the committee said, “The Working Group has taken the view that every state should by a rigorous consultative process with all stakeholders design its own solutions.
“The Federal Government will not impose any solution on any state. The Vice President assured all that the Federal Government would certainly not impose its ideas on the states and noted that fears being expressed on cattle colonies are misplaced.”
Another source said, “The Federal Government has drawn the battle line to end the impunity and killings in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and other states.
“At the end of the Working Group meeting last week, it was clear a major turning point had been reached in the management of the crisis and sufficient consensus recorded on the need to stop the impunity by engaging the military in a more decisive manner.
“Decisive military force will now be fully engaged to deal with the bandits believed to be behind the killings in parts of the country, especially regarding the crisis often associated with herdsmen.”