OMPALAN begins national dialogue on herders/farmers clashes

The Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) has begun dialogue between herders and host communities, starting from the pilot states of Imo and Rivers.

A statement from the association yesterday quoted the Oguta Local Government Area’s State Security Service boss (SSS), Mr. Alex Lawrence as saying, while addressing a meeting of Muslims and their host Oguta community under the auspices of OMPALAN, that both herders and farmers as well as all Nigerians must be protected under the laws of the land to coexist peacefully and lawfully in any part of the country.

Also speaking at the meeting, the representative of the Division Police Officer (DPO), Oguta, ASP Celestine Egere, said his command had worked round the clock to douse tension between herders and their host communities in the LGA and promised to support the effort of OMPALAN to broker peace in the LGA.

In his remarks, the head of the Hausa/Fulani community in Oguta, Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya said he had been living and doing business in the community with other Muslims for over 25 years without any friction with the community.

Alhaji Yahaya said he married from the community with six children, two of whom are currently in the university.

He said he had never failed to intervene to restore calm whenever reports came to him that cattle was destroying crops in the LGA.

Similarly, in Isukwa community, Rivers State, a stakeholders meeting was held under OMPALAN, Ndoni District, during which both communities (Muslims and host communities) stated their resolve to continue to live in peace as one united family.

Both the Chairman, OMPALAN Ndoni District, Ogochukwu Ochia and Head of the Muslim Community, Alh Mudi, thanked OMPALAN for providing the interface for peaceful coexistence between Nigerians of all creeds.

They called on President Muhammadu Buhari to come to their rescue in view of the devastating flood that has submerged significant parts of their communities such as Ndoni, Isukwa, Utuechi, Utu, Ogbogene and Odugiri especially, in view of the fact that the Rivers State Government has not provided any form of succour to their communities.