Officials in Adamawa State have been made aware of a significant influx of large herds of cattle into Shellenge, a local government area situated south of the capital, Yola.
Peace Architecture Dialogue (PAD), a non-governmental organization advocating for peace, has raised concerns about this influx, stating that the herds are reportedly fleeing insecurity in Borno State. PAD expressed apprehension over the potential security risks posed by these herds in their new surroundings.
The organisation which put the number of the said herds at about 15,000, asserted that the presence of such large numbers of cattle has heightened tensions between farming communities and herders “in an area known for recurrent skirmishes between both groups”.
The PAD Chairman in Adamawa State, Vidon Jaule, said during a press briefing in Yola that deployment of more security personnel in the local communities has become necessary because of a potential conflict.
“Such deployment should be supported by appeal to farming and herder communities on collaborative conduct against crisis,” he added.
Stressing that criminality has been fueled by the lack of security presence in most local communities, Jaule said, “Government as a matter of urgency, needs to prioritize the establishment of more police outposts in flash points of farmer-herder hostilities in the seven local government areas of Numan, Lamurde, Demsa, Guyuk, Mayo-Belwa, Girei and Shelleng as part of early warning response to potential conflict.”
He said there is a well-documented complaint among communities in the seven LGAs of the challenge of not having a police presence at the right places, adding that his organisation believes in the need for state policing and strengthening of security apparatus at local levels.
According to him, PAD has been working for harmony between herders and farmers in Adamawa State since 2014.
