By Adebayo Olodan
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem has disclosed how the institution was able to overcome the invasion of its multi-million naira research and training farms by Fulani herdsmen and their cattle.
The VC stated this on Tuesday during an interactive session with journalists at his lodge adding that it is imperative for the people and Fulani herdsmen to co-exist without posing any threat to one another.
Recall that cattle belonging to unidentified herdsmen invaded the multi-million naira research and training farms of the University of Ilorin thereby leading to some destruction in February.
Speaking on how the institution has been able to curtail further incursion, Prof. Abdulkareem said, “When we held a meeting with the leaders of the Fulani herdsmen, I told them that we are aware that they need to feed their livestock but they need to go about it without causing havoc to anyone.
“The Federal Government has been talking about creating grazing reserve area for the herdsmen and I believe there are symbiotic ways to resolve the concurrent crisis between the herdsmen and farmers.
“I made it known to them (herdsmen) that their stay on our land is illegal. I am aware during the tenure of my predecessor, Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, he promised to provide classrooms for their kids to study and they later said water is a major challenge to them and that they will need borehole in their area.
“Aside the aforesaid, our veterinary medicine department has been treating their animals and we told them we are ready to do more as long as they abide with our terms.
“I particularly appreciate the intervention of the Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu Gambari on the issue. He invited us for a peace talk and he offered the herdsmen a plot of land to settle,” he divulged.
Speaking on the need to ensure abundant food production in the country, the Vice Chancellor urged government at all levels to make machineries and fertiliser available to farmers at subsidised rate. “When government at all levels are able to provide fertiliser and machineries for our farmers to engage in mechanised farming, there is likely to be abundance of food in the country as the gesture will encourage them to produce in large quantity.”
