Nigeria's Fayose's Logical and Practical Step to Curb Fulani Herdsmen Violence - A Lead for

Photo Credit: Vanguard Nigeria & Public Domain

In the past, struggles between the Fulani herdsmen and Local Farmers were mere brawls and both sides were constricted after a short while. However, since former dictator and now President of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari’s government took over, Fulani’s herdsmen see it as their right to graze and rear their cattle anywhere they see fit, to the detriment of farm owners, which is a blatant breech of the Nigerian Law. According to Global Terrorism index, (2014), more than 1,200 lost their lives that year in the hands of these herdsmen. This made the Fulani Herdsmen the world’s fourth deadliest militant group. Cumulatively, over the years, thousands of people have been killed by violent, armed, extremely dangerous and savage Fulani herdsmen who are primarily the aggressors attacking rightful land and farm owners in their own land.

In February 2016, there was a report of a massacre of some 300 people in central Benue state. Vanguard Nigeria reports on April 3, 2016 that “The Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mrs. Angele Dikongue Atangana has stated that the level of killings and destruction perpetrated in Agatu local government by herdsmen is the worst in history.”

In the early hours of April 25, 2016, Fulani herdsmen raided Nimbo (also Ukpabi-Nimbo), a border town in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State, Nigeria, in southern Enugu state, where more than 40 were killed, causing outrage across Nigeria. Properties were destroyed and thousands of people forced to flee their homes. These attacks have continued because the government of Nigeria under Buhari’s watch have turned a blind eye to these callous killings, ignoring the rule of Law and disregarding Christian lives, which now seem not to matter.

Naziru Mikailu, a reporter with BBC, Africa, (2016) tried to make some sense from it, but failed. He later received a message twitted by a local man which may have provided the reporter a way forward because the tweet read “the Fulani man is running a business with his cow, why should we give up our lands for his interest”. This sums up the whole saga because if every Nigerian gave up their business simply because a bully wanted it, no one else will do business in Nigeria. The question that continues to linger among Nigerians is this; do the Fulani Herdsmen have more rights than other Nigerians?

In August 2016, another group of armed, dangerous and savage Fulani herdsmen attacked Ndiagu, Attaukwu in Akagbe-Ukwu community, Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, killing a Catholic Seminarian and injuring three others, one of the three, Mrs. Ifeoma Agbo later died at the Mother of Christ Hospital, Enugu, Enugu State. Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/enugu-herdsmen-attack-another-victim-dies-hospital/

The Ekiti Governor who decided recently that he'd had enough took the bull by the horns. He outlawed free cattle grazing and placed a merciless penalty for any one that will break the Law. This was reported by Premium Times, (2016). He even took it a step further, by charging with terrorism act the Fulani Herdsmen that were caught breaking the grazing Law and who had attacked the farmers. It was seen by many as defiant but a brave act. According to Premium Times, (2016), he condemned the Nigerian President, former dictator, General Muhammadu Buhari, for his silence on the killings of farmers by Fulani herdsmen, but till date no other Governor has backed it up or followed suit, even the Governors of Enugu and Benue states where more residents have been killed recently and continue to face more dangerous attacks.

Angry residents and other Nigerians who are active participants in social media have accused governors, especially those of the South Eastern region, of tolerating the savage Fulani herdsmen because of their fear of reprisal from General Muhammadu Buhari who is an ardent supporter of Fulani herdsmen. Buhari, a Fulani herdsman himself, is also a life patron of the Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), an association that supports Fulani herdsmen and their activities.

References:

• Institute for Economic and Peace, (2014) ‘Global terrorism Index report, 2014’. Available at: http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Global-Terrorism-Index-2015.pdf

• Naziru Mikailu, (2016). ‘Making sense of Nigeria’s Fulani-Farmer conflict’. BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36139388

• Press Release, Premium Times, (2016). ‘Fayose makes history, bans cattle grazing in Ekiti’. September 6, 2016. Available at: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/203917-breaking-fayose-makes-history-bans-cattle-grazing-ekiti.html

• Vanguard Nigeria: UNHCR Official: Agatu Massacre Worst Ever in My History of Covering Crises: http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/04/03/unhcr-official-agatu-massacre-worst-ever-in-my-history-of-covering-crises/

• Vanguard Nigeria: Enugu herdsmen attack: Another victim dies in hospital. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/enugu-herdsmen-attack-another-victim-dies-hospital/

• Between Buhari and Fulani herdsmen: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/buhari-fulani-herdsmen/

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