Nasarawa to recover grazing reserves, reopen cattle routes

Nasarawa State Governor Umaru AlMakura said his administration has put machinery in place to reclaim all designated grazing reserves encroached upon and reopen cattle routes blocked by settlers and farmers as a step to tackle the lingering farmer, herder crisis in the state.

Al-Makura, who disclosed this during an expanded state Security Council meeting in Lafia, said there were seven grazing reserves in the state with two of them in Awe and Keana LGs being gazetted.

“I have been told that substantial parts of the two gazetted grazing reserves have been encroached by structures, settlements and farms,” he said.

The governor said over 700 kilometres of grazing routes of about 30 meter width traversed the state and most of the routes were no longer visible due to encroachment.

“I have directed the Ministry of Agriculture to give me the detailed maps and planned area for grazing reserves. We would work towards recovering the grazing reserves as the first step towards finding a lasting solution to the lingering crisis,” Al-Makura said.

He said the skirmishes in the state were repercussion of the crisis in Benue, adding that the police had sent three additional mobile units to augment the six units previously deployed for the operation “cat race” soon to be launched by the military.

The governor advised people from Awe, Keana, Obi and Doma local government areas to go back home assuring them that the security reinforcement would ensure their security.