Prof Yohanna Izam, the PLASU Vice Chancellor, said that the agreement was a “landmark’’ to the institution given the disturbing activities of herdsmen, who usually break through the University fence to graze their cattle both during the day and night.
“This is because the incessant trespass by the cattle breeders had always resulted to breach of peace in the institution.
“We also agreed that henceforth Fulanis will stop any form of grazing within the University premises as there is no cattle route running through the University Community to warrant such actions, ’’ he said.
Izam noted that by the agreement, “the security agents are now at liberty to take any action they deem fit over any cattle apprehended grazing in the University Community during the day or at night.’’
He disclosed that only recently, suspected hoodlums attempted to defile a female student but failed when the students bravely withstood them and chased them away.
According to him, the incident was being investigated by the University security committee and that anyone found culpable would be duly punished.
He reassured all parents, guardians and stakeholders that the authorities were not leaving anything to chance by ensuring the safety of both students and staff.
The VC explained that was why the management approved the location of a security outpost near the University for rapid response.
Nonetheless, Izam, on behalf of the University Community, sympathised with and sent condolences to all victims of the recent attack on some villages in the state, while praying for the quick restoration of peace.
Meanwhile, an NGO, Search for Common Ground, on Friday decried the huge effects of incessant Farmers-Herders conflicts on women and children in Nigeria.
Mrs Tamwakat Goilt, Programme Manager, Search for Common Ground, lamented the trend during a One Day Consultative Workshop on the Gender Dimension of the farmers-herders conflict in Nigeria especially in Adamawa, Gombe and Plateau.
Addressing the participants, Goilt said that in every conflict such as wars and attacks, women and children were always the classes of people that suffer most.
“But the unfortunate aspect of it all is that there has not been any proper research or documentation on the very effects of such conflicts on women and children, who are the vulnerable.
“This is the essence of this consultative workshop aimed at digging out and voicing out those effects that will serve as roadmap for governments and NGOs at addressing them squarely, ’’ she said.
Goilt said that like the present situation in Plateau, the large population in the 31 IDPs Camps spread across Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South Local Governments were women and children.
According to her, “the trauma, pains and anxiety those women and children were passing through were enough reasons for constituted authorities to have a rethink and bring out more workable solutions to their plights.”
Also speaking, Mrs Bukola Ademola-Adelehin, Programme and Policy officer, Search for Common Ground, noted some factors, which were unfortunately sustaining the farmers-herders conflicts in the country.
She enumerated them to include, undue competition for resources, infusion of ethnic-religious sentiments, weak governance structure, land management for land multiple tenure system; ineffective security/justice system; cultural impunity as well as criminality.
Ademola-Adelehin said that until the federal and state governments address these factors quickly and effectively, the unfortunate wanton killings of innocent citizens would continue.
According her, Nigeria should strive to get it right at stopping the carnage to avoid putting women and children at the receiving end each time there is a conflict.
Also speaking, Mrs Ladi Aduwak, Senior Planning Officer, Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning, commended UN and EU for doing a lot for Nigeria through its Women NGOs and advised them to keep on with the good works.
The most recent attack in Plateau on 11 villages three weeks ago in Barkin Ladi Local Government and others left over 230 people dead and 38,051 persons displaced in the state.
