By Huldah Shado
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has asserted that what is often described as a “farmers-herders clash” is a mischaracterisation of the actual situation, insisting the real issue stems from animals encroaching on farmland.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, General Musa identified three key drivers behind the persistent violence in Benue State and other parts of the country: land disputes between indigenes and non-indigenes, the movement of animals, and animal rustling.
He emphasized that the term “clash” is misleading, as it suggests mutual aggression. “When people say farmer-herder clash, clash means two things are moving,” he explained. “But if a farm is stationary and an animal enters it, that is not a clash. It is someone encroaching on another person’s property.”
Musa noted that resolving the movement of animals could significantly reduce tensions.
“If the animals don’t move, we won’t have these issues,” he said. “Animal movement also leads to rustling, and without that, rustling would reduce significantly.”
He stressed that the military’s role is to prevent violence but reiterated that the root causes require political action.
“The issue of land between indigenes and non-indigenes is a political one and must be addressed politically,” Musa said. “The military cannot resolve these underlying problems. What we can do is try to prevent people from attacking each other.”
General Musa called on relevant authorities to provide political solutions to the longstanding issues fueling unrest, particularly in the Middle Belt region.
