The Federal Government is to build ranches for herdsmen as part of measures to address perennial herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, it was learnt.
It said park rangers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies, would be trained to protect the ranches from being looted by hoodlums.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, spoke in Abuja yesterday at the inauguration of an inter-ministerial committee on Security.
He said because of the challenging times, the government would protect investments.
Ogbeh said the government would curb herdsmen/farmers’ clashes to assure indigenous and foreign investors of the safety of their investments.
His words: “The problem we are facing is the security of investment. We are inviting Nigerians and foreigners to invest, especially in the agriculture industry. The crime rate is soaring and sometimes, criminality is carried out because there is no credible intelligence.
“We are planning to build ranches and bring our cattle rearers in manageable conditions, where herdsmen and farmers would no longer have clashes. We will encourage agro-investment and we assure investors; indigenous and foreign, that Nigeria is serious about investment and about protecting investors.”
The minister said the committee would work out modalities for training and deployment of security personnel for the project.
He cautioned the security operatives against abandoning their duties.
“You should not become private bodyguards or errand boys,” Ogbeh warned.
Minister of Interior Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau (rtd) said investment protection was important ito increase investors’ confidence in the country.