The federal government, security agencies and states affected by violent clashes between herdsmen and farmers have devised strategies to check the menace.

This is the major outcome of a crucial security meeting convened by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, in Abuja on Monday.

The closed-door meeting, which lasted for about five hours, was attended by the governors of Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger and Taraba states, and heads of security agencies.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue said there was now synergy among the security agencies, the federal and state governments to combat the challenge.

Mr. Ortom, who was joined by his Taraba counterpart, Darius Ishaku, declined to give details of the strategies, saying it was a security matter not meant for public consumption.

“As you can see all the governors of the states where we have the most challenging security problem are here.

“We have dialogued; we have looked at the problem with the security chiefs and appreciated each other.

“One thing that is central is that we have agreed that killing in any form is not allowed; security men must apprehend and prosecute those responsible.

“There is no point politicising these killings; it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to eliminate the criminality that is resulting in the killings,” Mr. Ortom said