The Edo State Government has begun moves to find a lasting solution to the encroachment on the old Aduwawa Housing Estate, Benin City, by Fulani herdsmen and their livestock.
Towards this end, the state Commissioner for Environment and Public Utilities, Prince Clem Agba, has met with the residents of the community.
During the meeting, Agba commended the people of Aduwawa Estate Community for the maturity and sense of responsibility they had so far exhibited by not taking the laws in their hands regarding the matter.
He assured them that the government, in collaboration with the Arewa Community, Hausa Community and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Arewa Matters, Alhaji Zakari Alasan Barkum, was already in search of a lasting solutions to the protracted problem in the area.
The commissioner, who was represented by the state Director of Environmental Sanitation and Safety, Prince Peter Uwagbale, praised the community, saying peace was the only ultimate thing needed to move Edo Stateforward.
“I want to thank all the parties that have found time to attend this important meeting to address the constant invasion by Fulani herdsmen.
This meeting becomes important in order to ensure peace continues to prevail in our community and by extension Edo State and Nigeria at large,” he said. The commissioner assured that the Ministry of Environment and Utilities would fumigate the areas, which, according to investigation, has been contaminated by the stench from cow dung to check any outbreak of an epidemic.
According to the Senior Special Assistance to the Governor on Arewa Matters and Community Relations, Alhaji Zakari Alhassan, the government was already aware of the invasion of the community by the Fulani herdsmen.
Alhassan said that a committee had been set up to checkmate the issue before it would degenerate into a crisis.
He assured the people of Aduwawa Housing Estate that he would move into action in collaboration with the Hausa, Arewa Community, youths and leaders of the herdsmen to peacefully resolve the matter.
Earlier, a resident in the community, Mr. Oluwashanu Franklin, expressed delight at the action of the government by convening the meeting.
Franklin added that government intervention in the matter would go a long way in solving the problem, which started two years ago.
