The Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Bishop Jude Arogundade, on Sunday, said dialogue remains the only solution to the frequent clashes between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria.The Bishop who stated this during his homily to mark the 2025 edition of the World Communication Day (WCD) held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral in Akure, called on the government and stakeholders to take decisive action to end the escalation of Fulani herdsmen’s menace across the country.

According to him, Nigeria needs dialogue to resolve the farmers/herders’ clashes. There is nothing more than dialogue. They have made the country ungovernable, and all we need to ask them now is what is their purpose and their goal, what do they hope to accomplish or achieve?“Our people can no longer go to the farm, our people can no longer fend for themselves, we travel on the roads with our hearts almost in our mouths, everybody is tensed up.“This is not the country we want to build together and if anybody thinks one day they can decide to take over the country and the country will belong to them or their tribe, such a person is just fooling himself.“It is better we come together and build a befitting country that we can all enjoy together, that is the purpose of why I said dialogue because I am not going to sit down for somebody to come and drag me away from my home, that would be an insult. “I cannot drive anybody out of his own home, so everybody should just get some sense and just try to behave and let us work together instead of trying to sabotage the whole system.“This country is so beautiful and we have the obligation to make it more beautiful and that is our commitment. I want to charge all journalists to work on this dialogue because you’re the one to initiate and sustain the dialogue.“Media practitioners have a lot to do. What you have to do is to write about the truth, not minding who is out there, not comfortable with the truth. We need a country first, we need a nation first.“I beg you to let us sustain a meaningful dialogue in this country. People will continue to appreciate you better when you call people to themselves.“Let’s ask the herdsmen questions. What do they hope to achieve? They want to have a better life at my own expense, by killing me and destroying my home, what kind of better life is that?“What I advocate for, is civilisation of love, civilisation of dialogue, of integrity but unfortunately, many people are not civilised in this country but we have to make this country beautiful, we don’t have to frustrate everybody and make the country ungovernable”The Bishop also identified corruption as another major problem that has retarded the nation’s progress over the years, saying “corruption is the oxygen Nigeria breathes, without it, some Nigerians would suffer asphyxiation”.He noted that corruption has become a serious problem in Nigeria, saying it is very endemic with disturbing situations everywhere, and described the situation as a shame to the Nigerian government and its people.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Federal government is to convene the first ever National Council on Livestock Development before the end of this year (2025).Livestock Development Minister, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who announced the initiative today at a press conference in Abuja to commemorate this year’s world milk day, stated that the council will serve as the apex platform for deliberations, harmonization and review of policies and initiatives in the livestock sector.

Additionally, the Minister said, the Council will bring together key stakeholders, including state governments, development partners, private sector players, researchers as well as pastoralist communities to shape a unified National agenda for sustainable development in line with the renewed hope agenda of this administration.In a related development the Minister revealed plans to transform the dairy industry by doubling down on local milk production, reducing dependency on imports, and unlocking the economic potential of the livestock sector.The Minister also highlighted Nigeria’s plan to increase national milk production from 700,000 metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes annually within five years.Mukhtar noted that this move is crucial to cutting the country’s over $1.5 billion annual dairy import bill and positioning Nigeria on a path to nutritional self-sufficiency.Part of the activities marking the world milk day was a road show, personally led by the minister and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Akujobi which took off from Eagle Square.Staff of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, sector stakeholders, civil society groups and dairy enthusiasts participated fully in the road show with clear commitment to building a healthy, self-reliant, and productive dairy economy in Nigeria.Speaking at an interactive session with journalists, the Minister said; “We are charting a new course, guided by the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), which focuses on critical pillars such as feed and fodder development, livestock value chain transformation, breed improvement, animal health, youth and women empowerment, and access to finance,”According to the Minister, achievements already recorded include the registration of eight pasture species ( first in 48 years), the development of the National Strategy and Action Plan on Animal Genetic Resources, and ongoing efforts to expand livestock vaccine production capacity from 120 million to 850 million doses at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom,Plateau State.Other achievements listed by the minister include; the commissioning of a solar-powered cold storage facility in Sheda, Abuja, and inauguration of the Wase Livestock Village as a model for rehabilitating Nigeria’s 417 grazing reserves.Maiha cited milestone projects like the Arla Dairy Farm in Kaduna and the Nestlé-backed Paikon Kore Dairy Training Facility in Abuja as models of progress.He also praised the Ekiti State Government and Promasidor for transforming the Ikun Dairy Farm into a high-yield operation, producing 10,000 litres of milk daily.Acknowledging the vital role of state governments, development partners and private sector players in revitalising Nigeria’s dairy landscape, meiha further noted that nearly half of Nigeria’s 36 states have already begun establishing their own Ministries or agencies for livestock development, aligning with the Federal Government’s renewed agenda for food security, economic inclusion, and rural transformation.Companies such as FrieslandCampina Wamco, Arla Foods, Zaidi Farms Ltd, Nestlé Nigeria, Integrated Dairies, and Promasidor, alongside organisations like FAO, Sahel Consulting, and the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), have partnered with the Ministry to introduce best practices, invest in dairy demonstration farms, and support smallholder farmers.Maiha lauded the media for their role in shaping public opinion and amplifying government efforts. “Your voices shape perception, your stories amplify impact, and your platforms connect government efforts with the people they are meant to serve…the success of this Ministry’s vision depends, in part, on how well we tell our story, and we need you to help us tell it boldly, accurately, passionately and consistently,” he said.

“Do not threaten Israel with sanctions” as it will continue to build a “Jewish state” on the ground,” Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned on Friday.He also rebuffed a call by French President Emmanuel Macron for establishing a Palestinian State.In open defiance of international law, Katz claimed that world powers may recognize a Palestinian state “on paper.

”Katz made the remarks during a visit to Sa-Nur, an illegal outpost in the northern West Bank that the Tel Aviv government recently decided to officially designate as a settlement for illegal Israeli settlers. In a direct message, Defense Minister Israel Katz targets French President Macron and European allies.He also dismissed the potential international consequences.He said: “They will recognise a Palestinian state on paper, while we will build the Jewish Israeli state on the ground.“Don’t threaten us with sanctions. You will not make us bow.“The State of Israel will not kneel before threats.”His comments came hours after President Macron stated that recognising the State of Palestine was a “moral duty”.Macron also reiterated that France may move toward official recognition during an upcoming international conference focused on the two-state solution.Earlier this week, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet had secretly approved the establishment of 22 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.In response, the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now issued a statement Thursday, revealing that 12 of the newly approved settlements were previously unauthorised outposts and farming sites established in recent years.According to Peace Now, there are currently 156 illegal settlements and 224 outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with over 736,000 illegal Israeli settlers living on occupied Palestinian land.The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law.The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land illegal and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.(AA/NAN)