- Nimbo massacre: I recorded killing to show my people our success -Suspect
- Enugu/Herdsmen Attack: Facts emerge on how mercenaries attacked Nimbo
- Fulani herdsmen: Farmers amass arms to combat killings
- Herdsmen, actions and consequences
- No one can stop us from grazing in the south - Fulani herdsmen
- This could lead to war
- Enugu attack: Buhari orders crackdown on rampaging herdsmen
- 20 People killed as Fulani herdsmen invade Enugu community
- ENUGU MASSACRE: Northern govs under fire… for defending Fulani
- Nigerians say "NO" to National Grazing Reserves Bill
- Our story, by Baba Othman Ngelzarma, National Secretary, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen
- The herdsmen narrative
- Fulani gunmen attack Kaduna village, kill monarch, nephew
Nimbo massacre: I recorded killing to show my people our success -Suspect
Written by Kunle Falayi
Some chilling details have emerged on the April 25 massacre of residents of Nimbo community in Enugu State by Fulani herdmen following the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect, Mohammadu Zurai, by the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team.
Zurai, who was arrested alongside four other suspects - Ciroma Musa (3), Sale Adamu (33), Suleiman Laute (43) and Haruna Laute (24) - told the police that at least 100 Fulani herdsmen from seven states took part in the massacre.
According to the suspect, Fulani leaders rearing cows in Taraba, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna States contributed representatives to take part in the attack.
Zurai, a Fulani herdsman living in Kogi State, said he was born in Enugu State even though his family are from Garba Shehu town in Taraba State.
His statement revealed that prior to the attack, kolanuts were shared among Fulani leaders in the seven states earlier identified, urging them to support the attack.
According to Zurai, the attack came because of the killing of six Fulani herdsmen in the community in the past without repercussion.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the leader later sent representatives who took part in the attack.
Two days before the attack (April 23), a meeting where the plans were perfected was held in Ameke town, Kogi State.
The police had revealed that a video recording of the killing was recovered from Zurai.
Zurai said, "After we attacked the town through the bush, I saw a man who had just been slaughtered on the ground. I brought out my phone and recorded the scene.
"I asked the dead man, 'Your people had confidence to kill Fulani people but now you are dead. Don't you know that Fulani owns Nigeria?' I recorded the video to show my relatives in Kogi where I live how successful the operation was. As we moved around Nimbo, I saw an Igbo man who used to give me food anytime I was in the state. I warned him to quickly leave town to avoid being killed."
Zurai said he was invited to take part in the killing by one Buba. He identified leaders who participated in the killing as Alhaji Suddi, Alhaji Kuriya, Alhaji Dula and Ardo Dula (living in Enugu State).
Others he identified are Mallam Adamu , Alhaji Chiroma, Adamu Sarka, Alhaji Botdo, Alhaji Iro Kogi and Alhaji Fanya (from Kogi State).
-------------------------------------------------------
Enugu/Herdsmen Attack: Facts emerge on how mercenaries attacked Nimbo
Written by Emeka Mamah
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Wednesday, May 18, 2016.
ENUGU-Fresh factshave emerged that herdsmen did not carry out the attack on the people of Nimbo community in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State themselves; they reportedly hired mercenaries to do it for them.
Some security officers, who spoke to newsmen in the area yesterday, said that three of the mercenaries drowned in River Niger while trying to flee the scene of the crime.
This was even as the Special Investigation Team set up by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, have "interviewed" the traditional ruler of Nimbo, Igwe John Akor, for about two hours at the police headquarters in Enugu over the issue.
Akor made this known while receiving members of the Nsukka Professionals Group, NPG, who visited Nimbo with a truck load of food items, especially beans and rice.
The traditional ruler, who apologised to NPG, led by Charles Nwodo, for coming home late, said that he was invited to Enugu by the team, adding that the meeting which he thought would last for few minutes lasted for about two hours.
He did not elaborate on the nature of the questions or discussions they had even as it was learned that some people had been picked up by the police team for allegedly aiding the herdsmen attackers.
It was gathered at Nimbo that the attackers did not go for women and girls, unlike the normal attack by the Fulani herdsmen, as youths, who were the "workforce," were killed.
--------------------------------------------------------------Fulani herdsmen: Farmers amass arms to combat killings
Written by Olufemi Atoyebi, Kamarudeen Ogundele, Samuel Awoyinfa, Femi Makinde
~Punch. Nigeria. Sunday, May 8, 2016
Angry farmers, youths, and some local hunters in many communities in the country said they have decided to acquire weapons against unprovoked attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
They also vowed to stop what they described as the mindless killings and destruction of their farmlands by rampaging Fulani herdsmen.
According to them, they will no longer sit down and watch the herdsmen attack them and destroy the sources of their livelihood.
They said they decided to resort to self-help because they had lost confidence in the security agencies' ability to protect them against attacks.
Fulani herders have recently killed hundreds in Benue, Plateau, Adamawa and Enugu states, among others, with many of the suspected killers not arrested for prosecution, despite the repeated promises by the government, especially the police, to stop the nefarious activities of the killer herders and bring them to justice.
The alleged failure by the government to contain the cruel activities of the herders, Saturday PUNCH learnt, prompted the angry farmers and the youths to begin to amass arms and other weapons such as machetes, and axes in preparation against sudden attacks.
A farmer in Osun State, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents that they were prepared to "do battle with the herdsmen in case they extend their rampage to our state."
A member of a vigilance group in the state, who simply gave his appellation as "D Keller," told one of our correspondents that "nobody has the monopoly of violence."
Asked where they got their weapons from, he simply said, "First ask the Fulani herdsmen to tell you where they got their own from before you ask me to tell you the source of our weapons."
The Coordinator, Oodua People's Congress in Osun State, Mr. Oyeyinka Awoyemi, said the problem posed by herdsmen had got to a level where it should be urgently addressed by the government.
Awoyemi said members of the OPC would no longer watch Fulani herdsmen destroy property and kill Yoruba people in their domains.
He said, "We cannot continue to keep quiet in the face of these mindless attacks. We will never allow them to drive us out of our land. We have given them general warnings and anywhere Fulani herdsmen kill a Yoruba man, deity will fight there. I will not say more than that.
"Can any Yoruba kill Fulani in their domain? We will not allow that to happen again. The Yoruba will fight for themselves."
In Oyo State, Saturday PUNCH learnt that farmers in Otu, Igbojaye, Komu, Alapamefa, Okaka, Saki, Iseyin and others in Oke-Ogun area of the state face constant threat by the Fulani herdsmen. Some of the farmers said the herdsmen grazed on their farms, raped women and girls, as well as stole their harvest.
The story is the same in Lagun, Iyana-Offa, Atagba, Lapata and surrounding villages in Lagelu Local Government Area where about 40 herdsmen were said to have invaded three weeks ago, injured a guard and stole foodstuffs and N500, 000 cash.
Based on the attacks, some farmers in the troubled areas have decided to protect themselves against the molestations. Some of them told one of our correspondents that since the police seemed incapable of containing the frequent invasion, they were left with no other option but to confront the herdsmen.
One of the hunters in Komu, who did not give his name, said blacksmiths had been be contacted to assist in producing more guns to confront the herdsmen if they invaded their farmlands again.
He said, "We are ready to fight if we are pushed to doing so because we are not cowards. The Oluode (head of the hunters) will not hesitate to give members the go-ahead to attack any herdsman that grazes on farms and threaten to attack farmers.
"We will no longer tolerate their violent activities if the police or the government is not doing enough to stop it."
Asked who would fund the production of the guns, the hunter said, "I will not reveal where the funding will come from, but we are all involved in this and no contribution is too small."
Farmers in Ondo State said they were ready to defend themselves should the Federal Government fail to contain the incessant criminal activities of the Fulani herdsmen against them.
Some of the farmers who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity said they were battle-ready for the herdsmen but they were waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to act first as he had ordered the security agencies to deal with the armed herdsmen.
A member of the vigilance group in Akure North Local Government Area, who identified himself as Saheed, said members of the group were ready to pay the herdsmen in their own coin, should they invade the state like they did before.
He said, "I will not reveal how we are going to deal with them, but we are vigilant and we won't expose our tactics."
Youths in Ekiti State have also formed an alliance against likely attack by herders.
The Ekiti State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Mr. Adedamola Gbenga, said the council met with other youth associations during the week and resolved to form a force to repel any attack by the herdsmen in the state.
Gbenga said, "We are also meeting with our chapters across the 16 local government areas on the need to stop this evil against humanity and for them to be their brothers' keeper."
A source in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the fear of being arrested, said, "The Fulani herders should know that no one has the monopoly of violence.
"If they are quick to kill farmers and destroy their farms, we will tell them they cannot do that in Ekiti State. They will find their match if they attack our people because they are not the only ones who have access to AK47 and other dangerous weapons."
Farmers in Enugu State are also set to match the marauding herdsmen force with force if they tried anything funny.
In Uratta, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, the Public Relations Officer of Ugwumba Age Grade, Mr. Kingsley Asonye, said, "For fear of unknown, we are gathering weapon with which to repel any attack by herdsmen."
The Uzonwanne Farmers Association in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state said the group had been vigilant owing to the recent attack by herdsmen in Enugu.
The association's chairman, Mr. Iherdure Echi, said the group had been gathering machetes and other weapons to repel likely attack.
He said, "It is unfortunate that victims in Enugu State were struck in the wee hours. It is sequel to that we are ever vigilant. We have also been taking a close watch on the herdsmen."
Also, a community leader in Mgbidi, Oru West Local Government Area of the state, Chief John Adionye, confirmed to one of our correspondents that residents had formed a vigilance group to take a close watch at the community
He said, "Should there be any attack on my community or neighbouring villages, vigilance men will raise the alarm for the public to know. Once we suspect any negative action, we won't be taken unaware."
The International President, Esu Nlap Oro (Oro youth group), Mr. Joseph Okon, said the group would hold its monthly congress today to discuss the matter.
"The destruction done to farmlands and humanity by these herdsmen raises serious concerns," he said.
Asked if his group could curtail the activities of the herdsmen who go in groups with AK 47 rifles, Okon said he would speak on that after the congress.
A source, however, confirmed to Saturday PUNCH that there were enough arms in the hands of youths in Akwa Ibom to repel the "prowlers."
There are also indications that the Igbo may revive the dreaded Bakassi Boys as a standby militia to contain future attacks.
A decision reached at the concerned Imeobi meeting of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu pointed to the fact that the Igbo were prepared to defend themselves.
Part of the communique read "These itinerant herdsmen have indeed drawn a line on the sand and their actions and audacity will no long be discountenanced. At least our people should be able to offer reasonable defence in event of any improptu attack."
Many communities in Yewa South, Yewa North and Imeko Afon local government areas of Ogun State have had bitter experiences from herdsmen, in spite of the mechanism put in place by the state government to prevent the recurring violence.
The communities, which are in the border areas, include Oja Odan, Agbon Ojodu, Eggua, Ijoun, Eyin Oshun and Japara, among others.
The Council of Obas of Ijebu-Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area at a meeting raised the alarm over the alleged destruction of farmlands and the raping of women by Fulani herdsmen in the area.
Chief Adebayo Adedayo, who represented the Japara people, said if the activities of herders were not checked, it could lead to war.
He said, "If we are not careful here in Ijebu Igbo, all our farms may be wiped out. All our farms in Eyin Oshun are now being destroyed by cattle. The cattle destroy the farms and the herders too rape women. In Japara, I have over 10 acres of farmland; the herdsmen destroyed it. If care is not taken, the herdsmen may cause war."
The Public Relations Officer, Vigilante Service of Ogun State, Mr. Soji Ganzallo, said the vigilance group had arrested some herdsmen in the past and handed them over to the police.
The Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, said the government had created a process through which herdsmen residing in any part of the state would be identified.
He said, "I am the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee on issue of Fulani herdsmen and the farmers in the different communities in Ogun State.
"When this government came in 2011, every week, there were reported clashes in the media, but the governor took a proactive step by setting up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to handle herders and farmers issue."
Also, An environmentalist, Mr. Alagoa Morris, has also asked the people of Bayelsa State not to fold their arms in case of likely attack by the Fulani herdsmen.
"Self-defence is the first principle of survival," he said, adding, "The people are beginning to lose confidence in the security agencies. That is why I am advising my people that they should be prepared to defend themselves because self-defence is allowed in law."
On how the people should defend themselves, he asked, "Is it not by machetes and guns they (herdsmen) are using to kill people? So, our own people should have guns too."
But the pan- Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Afenifere, urged that the issue of self-defence should not be promoted because stakeholders were already meeting over the incessant attacks by the herders.
The Secretary-General of the group, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, said, "Since some measures are being taken to resolve the matter, I think the issue of self-defence may be counter-productive for now. So, we should wait until the outcome of all these measures. But I will advise our people to be vigilant."
But the leaders of Fulani herdsmen defended the activities of the herders.
Speaking in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Plateau State, Alhaji Mohammed Nuru Abdullahi, explained why the pastoralists always move about with sophisticated weapons. He said, "Fulani herdsmen do not have any security backup because they are in the rural areas where the security operatives may not be able to access. Now cattle rustling and killing of Fulani have become a lucrative business. Therefore, Fulani herdsmen will do everything possible to protect their lives and property since government has failed to do so. The Fulani use the AK47 for defence since the government has failed to protect them."
Also, a prominent Fulani and National President, Arewa United Consultative Forum, Alhaji Ado Dansudu, said that Fulani herdsmen needed to carry arms to protect themselves.
He said, "The people are saying that Fulani herdsmen are going about with sophisticated weapons. Are you saying that they should not defend themselves? The government cannot protect them because they are always in the bush and security agents cannot be following them with helicopters, so they need to protect themselves."
All attempts to speak with the Force Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Bisi Kolawole, were unsuccessful as she did not answer any of the calls made to her telephone line or respond to a text message sent to the same line. An unidentified man, who later answered her telephone, said she was in a meeting and promised to call back. He, however, never did.
However, the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Lawal Shehu, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, spoke on the moves his command was making to check the proliferation of arms in the state.
He said, "Well, the matter of getting rifles by Fulani or any other group or individuals or even members of a community, is a national issue.
"We have experienced a lot of crisis here and there and in all these, we have seen a lot of arms with the people. The only problem is how they come about it. That is why we are putting our heads together with other agencies.
"A lot of things have been done by the police. We have what is called intelligence policing. We have our men in plain clothes who go about searching for information and alerting us."
-------------------------------------------------Herdsmen, actions and consequences
Twitter: @ okeyndibe
~The SUN, Nigeria. Tuesday, May 3, 2016.
LAST week, alleged herdsmen armed with rapid-fire guns and machetes descended on the Ukpabi Nimbo community in Enugu State, killing and maiming scores of victims. Images of heaped corpses, including children, hospitalised survivors with cuts and gashes, and the charred remains of burnt homes were widely circulated on social media. I'd suggest that public repulsion and outrage ran at close to boiling point.
The "official" reaction was rather predictable and in character. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State went to the scene of the carnage, accompanied by the top police officer in the state and heads of other security agencies. As his entourage moped at the devastated landscape, the governor lowered his head, covered his face, and wept.
President Muhammadu Buhari's response came in the cold form of two statements released two days after the horrific attacks. At a book launch where he represented the president, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, disclosed that Mr. Buhari condemned "in the strongest terms the attacks by herdsmen in Enugu State on Monday" and "deeply [sympathised] with those who lost their lives as well as those who lost their property.
The president also "directed the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen and to go after the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country. This government will not allow these attacks to continue."
The same day, the president's spokesman, Garba Shehu, released another statement that expressed similar soporific sentiments. It read: "Following continuing reports of attacks by 'herdsmen' on communities across the country, particularly Monday's attack on Ukpabi Nimbo in Enugu State, President Muhammadu Buhari assures all Nigerians, once again, of his administration's continued commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country.
"President Buhari unreservedly condemns the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and other such acts of extreme violence against communities in other states of the Federation"Acting on the president's directive, the Inspector-General of Police and heads of the nation's other security agencies are already taking urgent steps to fully investigate the attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
"Ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons is now a priority on the Buhari Administration's agenda for enhanced national security and the Armed Forces and Police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.
"In keeping with the President's directive, the Inspector-General of Police, the General Officer Commanding the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army and the Director of the Department of State Security in Enugu State have visited Ukpabi Nimboto personally oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits.
"Meanwhile, President Buhari is scheduled to meet with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi later today to receive further briefing on the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and discuss additional measures to forestall similar attacks and restore public confidence.
"The President urges all Nigerians to remain calm and assured of his administration's readiness to deploy all required personnel and resources to remove this new threat to the collective security of the nation."
Gubernatorial tears and recycled presidential statements won't suffice. Nigerians are accustomed to their rulers' occasional acts of Nollywoodesque tearfulness. The question is: After the wailing, what concrete steps ever follow? Governor Ugwuanyi has cried. I'd say, Biko, wipe your tears. What you owe to the memory of the hapless, defenseless victims of the Nimbo slaughter is to come up with measures to protect the lives and property of the people under your watch.
If the presidential statement was designed to allay anxiety and calm Nigerians' nerves, I am afraid it had the opposite effect. The language lacked any depth of spirit and came across as something dusted up and photocopied, a pronouncement that did not proceed from the heart.
Read closely, the statement, far from being reassuring, exposed how screwed up Nigeria is. This was not the first time the so-called herdsmen had wreaked havoc on Nigerians. They'd allegedly abducted Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Federal Government and former presidential candidate. They had turned Agatu, in Benue State, into a killing field. With all the security agencies maintained by the Nigerian state – and reporting to President Buhari – did the "herdsmen" have to kill one more soul before a presidential order was issued to rein them in?
It's no secret that many herdsmen now traverse Nigeria, their machine guns openly exhibited. Why have security agencies turned a blind eye to this open evidence of lawlessness, this clear threat to unarmed others? The herdsmen are accused of killing hundreds of Nigerians over the last few months.
Given this reality, it struck me as a case of morbid insensitivity that the presidential spokesman should begin his speech by "[assuring] all Nigerians, once again, of the [Mr. Buhari] administration's continued commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country."
I found other aspects of the president's statement equally troubling. One was the revelation that the president had instructed the country's security agencies "to take all necessary action to stop the carnage." The other, that "in keeping with the President's directive, the Inspector-General of Police, the General Officer Commanding the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army and the Director of the Department of State Security in Enugu State have visited Ukpabi Nimbo to personally oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits."
Do senior law enforcement and security officials have to wait on presidential directives to discharge their constitutional responsibilities? Did they fold their arms after what happened at Agatu, after Mr. Falae's abduction, and even two days after the homicidal infestation in Nimbo – awaiting presidential orders? To be taken seriously on his commitment to Nigerians' security, Mr. Buhari ought to fire those top security and law enforcement officials who dozed on duty, permitting the "herdsmen" to consolidate their awful arsenal.
Last week, Governor Ugwuanyi met with President Buhari. I bet the governor told the president what he later told the residents of his state: that he had received intelligence before the attack, and had summoned a security meeting that was attended by the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, a top Army officer, and the head of the Department of State Security (DSS). According to the governor, all the security chiefs had assured him that their officers or agents had been deployed in the threatened community. Despite these assurances, a mere few hours after the security meeting ended, the people of Nimbo were unprotected as a hail of bullets and machetes besieged them.
Clearly, some people whose job it was to protect fellow Nigerians shirked their duties. They allowed lawless herdsmen to flaunt and use guns and other deadly weapons. It is not enough to launch the kind of cynical investigation that is soon forgotten – precisely because, in Nigeria, impunity, violence and senseless death are all but norms. Those who failed at their duty – and, therefore, exposed innocent people to horrific death, injury and bereavement – should pay a price. To begin with, they should be fired.
Mr. Buhari, has a burden to act, because mere speech won't serve. He should demonstrate a belief that actions – or the failure to act in the proper anner – have consequences.
---------------------------------------------------
~Punch, Nigeria. Sunday, May 1, 2016
Herdsmen from different parts of Nigeria have stated that nobody can stop them from grazing their cattle in any part of the country, especially in the south. They described such restriction as unconstitutional.
The nomads, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH under the auspices of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, dismissed the ultimatums given by different groups for the herdsmen to vacate the southern part of the country.
This is despite the fact that groups, including foremost Yoruba farmers' pressure group and ethnic militia, Agbekoya Farmers Association of Nigeria in the South-West; the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (South-East); the Independent Peoples of Biafra (South-East); and some ex-Niger Delta militants in the South-South, stated their readiness to defend their territories should herdsmen attack their communities again.
Suspected Fulani herdsmen, who grazed their cattle from the northern part of the country to the southern part, had been accused of killing, raping and robbing members of their host communities.
The Enugu incident, where several lives were lost, was the most recent.
But the herdsmen, in separate interviews with our correspondents on Saturday, noted that it was wrong for people to restrict their movement as the constitution guaranteed their movement into any part of the country.
The Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Plateau State, Mr. Nuru Abdullahi, said nobody could deprive Fulani herdsmen of their constitutional right of free movement.
Abdullahi said, "Why would they ask them not to go to the southern part of the country? It is their constitutional right to move freely as guaranteed by the laws of the land. What the various governments and security agencies should do is to prevent attacks and counter-attacks and such things that breed violence like cattle rustling and trespassing into farmlands.
"The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of movement for every citizen of the country; this includes the right to live, work and carry out any legitimate activity in any part of the country. If and when you breach this freedom, then, the law should deal with you. So, asking anybody not to go to any part of the country is unconstitutional."
Also, the Chairman, MCBAN, North-West Zone, Mr. Ardo Ahmadu Suleiman, warned against criminalising all Fulani herdsmen over the attacks.
He said, "We are law abiding citizens of Nigeria. The constitution forbids anybody or group from banning anybody's movement from one part of the country to another. We have been staying peacefully with tribes across the country for ages. Therefore, for anyone to say he wants to ban Fulani from entering their land is uncalled for."
However, several socio-cultural and militia groups in the southern part of the country on Saturday stated their readiness to reject the invasion of their communities by Fulani herdsmen.
Agbekoya gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to stop the incessant attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on farmers in Yorubaland even as it vowed to retaliate any attack on its members.
The position of the group was made known by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olatunji Bandele, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday.
According to Bandele, if the Federal Government fails to act decisively within the stipulated time, the Agbekoya will have to defend its people with whatever means at its disposal.
Bandele said the association held an emergency meeting last Thursday where it discussed the incessant onslaught by Fulani herdsmen against Yoruba farmers, especially in the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State.
He stated that if the situation was not brought under control, the group would "close down all markets in the South West; make sure that Fulani herdsmen do not enter any village in Yoruba land with their cows. And if they dare enter, they are doing it at their own risk.
"We have alerted Agbekoya South West warriors across Yorubaland to be battle ready in case the Fulani herdsmen do not heed our warning because this thing has continued for the past four to five years now."
Bandele added, "We have other security measures that we are taking but keeping to ourselves. If the Fulani herdsmen failed to heed our warning and they dare enter Yorubaland, they will be doing so at their own risk. We are waiting for the Federal Government to take decisive action."
The deadline, he added, started to read from last Thursday.
Asked if the group was now arming its members against the reported sophisticated fire arms of the suspected herdsmen, Bandele said, "We are not bothered with whether they carry arms or not, we will deal with the Fulani herdsmen hands down. We have done it before. The Agbekoya fought a 14-month war with the military. That was in 1968/69. We have instructed our warriors. Anywhere they kill farmers again, we will move in."
Asked what the association would do per chance any part of Yoruba land was attacked, he said, "We will retaliate."
The leader of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, lamented that Igbo people had been "talking and talking" while they watched their people being killed. He stated that it was time for "action" to end killings by herdsmen.
Madu said, "The Fulani herdsmen are cowards. After the recent attacks, they ran away. If they mean business, let them wait for Ndi'gbo and we will engage them man-to-man.
"It will be demeaning to ask us if we have the capability to confront them."
IPOB, another Igbo secessionist group which dismissed security agencies as failing to secure the people, alleged that Boko Haram had been disguising as herdsmen to attack parts of the country.
The Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, stated that the group would not be at the forefront of reprisals against criminal herdsmen in the region but would encourage those under attack to defend and retaliate in self defence.
He said, "The world is watching IPOB; the plan was for us to retaliate the attacks by Fulani herdsmen but we will not do so. Rather, we will ask those who are under attack to defend themselves or get killed.
"The international rule is that you have the right to self defence if your life is under threat; security agencies know that. Face whatever or whoever is going to kill you or you die."
Another Yoruba group, Oodua Peoples Congress, said although the Yoruba were perceived as accommodating, the group would not sit by and pretend as if all was well.
The National Coordinator of the OPC, Mr. Gani Adams, told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that the attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the region had gone out of hand.
Adams said, "Nowadays, it is becoming too rampant in the South-West. Now, nobody is provoking the Fulani herdsmen; they are the ones taking laws into their hands, killing and maiming innocent people in their (victims') communities.
"These Fulani herdsmen may even be Boko Haram in disguise. If government is looking at this as if they are an influential tribe or race in Nigeria and that they can't tackle it, it may become a very serious security treat.
"We the Yoruba think that we are highly accommodating and that if a stranger who is living in our community has committed an offence, the law should take its own course. But I know for sure that the South-East will not allow their people to be maimed."
The Chairman of MCBAN in Bauchi State, Abdullahi Abubakar, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the association was planning to hold an emergency executive meeting on Monday or Tuesday to discuss the issues affecting herdsmen.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Nigerian Students have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to come out boldly and tackle the problem.
The Chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern States, Rev. Yakubu Pam, said the President needed to be courageous in tackling his own people and condemning their terrible activities.
---------------------------------------------------------This could lead to war
Written by Ochereome Nnanna
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Thursday, April 28, 2016
ON Wednesday last week, I was at the Enugu State High Court to attend a session. Shortly before 10am, a large number of prisoners, accompanied by their wardens, arrived.
The prisoners' warden who came to our own courtroom with his wards stood with us in the corridor as the court was packed with lawyers, plaintiffs, respondents, court staff and other interested persons.
After a while, a discussion naturally came up about the menace of Fulani cattle herders all over the country. The prison warden who obviously hailed from Enugu State opened up and said the situation in the state was "horrible".
"I went to my hometown last weekend. I was just resting in my room in the afternoon when, all of a sudden I started hearing "hm-hm-hm". I looked out of my window into my garden. I was shocked at what I saw: cows everywhere! They were eating everything in the garden. I came out and saw three young Fulani men.
They were armed with AK-47 assault rifles, the type that we in the Service never have the opportunity to touch. The boys just looked at me and continued to mind their cows. There was nothing I could do because I knew they were ready to shoot at any slightest opportunity".
Barely five days later on Monday, 25th April, there was breaking news all over the Internet on an outbreak of fighting between Fulani herdsmen and indigenes in Nimbo, Uzo Uwani Local Government Area, a northern precinct of Enugu State. According to the news which was later confirmed, seven villages in Nimbo (Nimbo Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ekwuru, Ebor, Enugu Nimbo, Umuome, and Ugwuachara) were attacked by the herdsmen, leaving between 40 and 48 people dead (many with their throats slit, Boko Haram style) and over 60 injured. Residential homes and a church were razed. Indigenes of the community fled to nearby Nsukka town.
Can I hear you say: "Agatu season 2"?
Come to think of it: Agatu is not far from Uzo Uwani. Benue and Enugu share a common boundary. It would seem that, having "conquered" Agatu, the Fulani militia deployed to take over the South East. News had it that days to the attack, there were rumours that 500 heavily-armed Fulani militiamen were camped in the bushes ready to attack. The Directorate of State Service (DSS) under Director General, Alhaji Lawal Daura, did nothing about it. DSS could not re-enact the speed and expedition with which they allegedly discovered fifty corpses in shallow graves in Abia State, five of which they identified as being those of people of Fulani stock, though they did not tell us the ethnic background of the rest forty five dead men.
It was not until these vandals had despatched innocent and defenceless villagers to their early graves that we got reports of police and military deployment to the area. Perhaps, they were there to shut the stable door after the horse had escaped. That is the type of "law enforcement" the security agencies of this country are very good at providing.
Before now, people were asking who these "herdsmen" really were. For me, it is not just who they are that matters the most, as that is now obvious. What interests me more is: what really is their mission?
Even a cretin now knows that these are not the traditional Fulani cattle-herders we were all born to see grazing their cattle peacefully without molesting anyone or destroying anyone's means of livelihood or attempting to displace indigenous populations from their homelands. Because they were peaceful, they were also allowed to ply their nomadic trade in peace. In fact, the nearby presence of the Fulani cattle herders meant easy availability of meat in our local markets.
But it also contributed negatively to the extinction of traditional animal farming, along with the rapid disappearance of local animal breeds, such as the evergreen forest goats, fowls, cows and guinea-fowls, which are more highly valued and nutritious. You cannot blame the cattle Fulani for the laziness in animal husbandry among the Southern peoples, along with the near-extinction of local breeds. You cannot blame the nomads for Southerners abandoning their local communities for the non-existent "luxuries" of the townships, which gave non-indigene and non-citizen interlopers to seek to annex lands belonging to locals for the gratification of their cows and the profit of cow owners in the North.
Indeed, this is where the problem is. These "herdsmen" are just the grunt workers; the foot soldiers of highly-placed individuals, such as emirs, titled men, retired generals, retired police chiefs, retired security chiefs, big politicians and businessmen in the North who are not ready to upgrade their animal farming practices to the more productive and modern strategy of ranching.
With climate change and desertification in the North, and the availability of cheap arms from wars in Libya, Chad, Mali and other places in the desert, sophisticated weapons are purchased and given to hired hands from all over the West African sub-region to move hungry cattle to Southern greener pastures. Minister of Agriculture in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, disclosed that these militia men see themselves as Jihadists. Why else are they slitting throats and burning churches in Igboland? What do these have to do with cattle-herding?
I am afraid, people are being pushed to the wall. Let it be known that no one will allow any foreign invader to take over their homeland. People have run away, hoping the law-enforcement agents will do their work. When that fails, I am afraid we may see wars. People could be forced to go home and reclaim their communities with fire for fire. No tribe has the monopoly of military prowess. Those who start fights first don't always win.
The Police, Army, DSS and other law enforcement agencies must move in decisively to protect Nigerians and preserve the peace, unity and stability of this country PRONTO!
Today, not tomorrow!
------------------------------------------------------------------Enugu attack: Buhari orders crackdown on rampaging herdsmen
Written by Emeka Mamah, Emma Nnadozie, Henry Umoru, Chidi Nkwopara, Anayo Okoli, Kingsley Omonobi, Omeiza Ajayi, Chinenye Ozor & Chimaobi Nwaiwu
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Thursday, April 28, 2016
~Ugwuanyi summons traditional rulers, denies calling Buhari for action,
~We won’t retaliate, says IPOB
ABUJA-President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security chiefs to hunt down those who perpetrated the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State on Monday.
President Buhari gave the order, yesterday, in an address delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the public presentation of a book, entitled "Who will Love My Country: Ideas for Building the Nigeria of our Dream", written by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in Abuja.
The President's words: "Before making my remarks about the book, let me use this platform to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the attack perpetrated on the Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State on Monday. I deeply sympathise with all those who lost dear ones, as well as those who lost their properties in the attack.
"I have directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen, and to go after all the groups terrorizing innocent people all over the country. This government will not allow these attacks to continue," he stated.
Police corporal led attack, indigenes tell IGP
The people of Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government yesterday told Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, that policemen who were officially posted to protect them from the Fulani herdsmen disappeared shortly before the attackers arrived and killed over 20 people.
Spokesperson of the community, Dr George Ajogwu, who made this known, told Arase that the Fulani attackers were led by a police corporal serving at Adani Police Station in the local government.
According to him, it was, however, the arrival of another police team from the Area Commander's office that minimised the level of destruction as the new team challenged the attackers frontally.
Ajogwu's account of the incident was, however, disputed by the transition committee chairman of the local government, Cornell Onwubuya, who disrupted the speaker, leading to an uproar.
However, Ajogwu, who insisted that he must be allowed to speak as he was a member of the community, said: "What happened was that the policemen posted to the community left, despite the fact that we pleaded with them to stay till those who would relieve them arrived. But they did not listen to us.
"Immediately they moved out that morning, the Fulani herdsmen struck. If the policemen had listened to us, the incident would have been nipped in the bud. It was only the Area Commander's men from Nsukka that responded.
"I am from this community; what happened affected us. The situation is unbelievable. We cannot say exactly the number of people that died but the death toll is above 20. The Fulani herdsmen had been attacking us on regular basis.
"Annually, we lose two or three people to the Fulani attackers. I am very happy that the IGP is here to witness what the Fulani herdsmen have done to us. On yearly basis, we bury people killed by Fulani herdsmen.
"We do not go to the farms again. We have been crying to the police to help us. The Fulani herdsmen rape our wives in our farms.
"Ralph Ojombo went to the farm when the corporal came with the same Alhaji that attacked our people earlier before now. The corporal is serving at Adani Police Station. The youth were there when he came with the Fulani herdsmen and started shooting at the young boys. What saved most of them was that they ran away. Some of the youths asked him whether he was part of the Fulani herdsmen; he ordered them to shut up their dirty mouths."
It's pathetic
- Arase
Responding, the IGP, Solomon Arase said: "The incident is very depressing and pathetic. I am not happy about it. The death of one person diminishes humanity. I am concerned about the number of people that died. Even the death of one person means a lot to the entire country. That is why I decided to come and have an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Most of the stories we have out there were at variance with what is on the ground. Thank God.
"I have been discussing with Senator Chuka Utazi (who represents Enugu North and is from Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area) and the local government chairman (Cornell Onwubuya) even before the incident. We are looking for the panacea to the problem.
"Now that I am here, I am able to see what has happened. We should be able to find solutions to the problems. I can assure Nigerians that no Nigerian who snuffed life out of a fellow Nigerian will got scot-free. We will make sure that we catch the perpetrators of the crime and prosecute them." Commenting on the police corporal who allegedly led the Fulani attack, Arase said, "The police corporal that was mentioned as conniving with the herdsmen, I have ordered that he should be put in custody. The police have zero tolerance for any police officer that conspires with any criminal."
Also responding to the claims that more dead bodies were still in the bushes and farms, Arase directed the Enugu State Police Commissioner, Ekechukwu Nwodibo who was present to send the homicide squad from Enugu to join the search parties in a bid to recover all of them. He then promised that a police station would be built at Nkpunato Nkpologwu, near Nimbo to reduce crimes in the area.
Death toll still unknown, says Sen. Utazi
Earlier, Senator Utazi told the IGP that "the communities in Uzo- Uwani have suffered untold hardship for years in the hands of Fulani herdsmen," adding that the herdsmen and their cattle destroyed farmlands and crops as well as "raped women and kidnapped people along Nsukka-Adani-Onitsha highway."
Utazi further said that the death toll of Monday's attack was yet to be known as two corpses were recovered Tuesday following the stench oozing from them. He then appealed to the IGP to ensure thorough investigation into the matter as well as the prosecution of the offenders.
The IGP later visited the palace of the traditional ruler of Nimbo, Igwe John Akor, who lamented the problems being encountered by the people of the area in the hands of Fulani herdsmen who "molest innocent people, rape women, kidnap and rob people at intervals," and appealed to him to provide security for his subjects.
Akor praised the efforts of the policemen who were on ground on the day of the incident and asked Arase to provide more patrol teams to save the people from being kidnapped and robbed.
Ugwuanyi convenes monarchs, other stakeholders
Following his visit to troubled Ukpabi Nimbo community, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday, summoned an emergency meeting with traditional rulers, presidents-general of town unions and leaders of the neighbourhood watch groups in all communities in the state.
A reliable source disclosed that the meeting which is part of series of action plans of the state government to find a lasting solution to the menace of the Fulani herdsmen in the state is scheduled to hold next Monday, May 2, at Old Governor's Lodge, Enugu at 1pm.
The source also revealed that the governor was determined to put an end to the inhuman acts of the herdsmen which have consumed the lives and property of innocent citizens of the state as well as threatened the peace and security of the state and the nation at large.
It could be recalled that Governor Ugwuanyi had while addressing the people of Nimbo community called for peace, fasting and prayers for the intervention of God, assuring them and the people of the state that he will do everything possible within his constitutional powers to end the incessant menace posed by the herdsmen in the state.
The governor also disclosed that when he got a security report on Sunday that the attack will take place in the community, he immediately summoned an emergency meeting of the State Security Council which met on Sunday night till the early hours of Monday, shortly before the herdsmen struck, regretting that the sad incident eventually occurred after all assurances given to him by security operatives that the attack will not happen.
The scheduled meeting, according to the source, is expected to map out the best strategies that would promote peace and end the attacks from the herdsmen.
Monarch warns
Meantime, the Chairman of South East Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Eberechi Dick, has called on the Federal Government to immediately intervene and halt the violent rampage by herdsmen across the country.
Eze Dick warned that the ugly incident was taking a frightening dimension and demanded an immediate intervention by the Federal Government, adding that there was an urgent need for President Muhammadu Buhari to curb the dangerous incident.
It's barbaric, says Gov Okorocha
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, has described the recent massacre of innocent citizens in Enugu State, as "very unfortunate, senseless and barbaric", and demanded that "those behind the killings should be made to face the law".
The Governor, who made his feelings known while addressing traditional rulers yesterday in Owerri, also appealed passionately to President Muhammadu Buhari to "intervene as a matter of urgency in the repeated killings in the South-East by Fulani herdsmen, to forestall future occurrence".
He charged the traditional rulers in the state to take absolute control of security in their various autonomous communities and to also ensure peaceful co-existence between their people and settlers.
Enugu CAN calls for self-defence
But the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday expressed outrage over the killing of 46 natives of Nimbo community in Enugu State by Fulani herdsmen.
Addressing journalists , secretary of the religious body in Enugu State, Apostle Dr. Joseph Ajujungwa, said the wanton destruction of lives and properties by the herdsmen could no longer be taken for granted. Expressing shock that security operatives could not nip the attack in the bud despite having prior information, Ajujungwa called on South-East communities to rise up and defend themselves against such attacks.
S'East APC warns
The South East Leadership Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also condemned the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the zone.
Zonal spokesman of the party, Osita Okechukwu in a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja said "It is painful that while the Federal Government of Nigeria is doing everything possible to contain the Boko Haram insurgency; another virus in the name of herdsmen is dislocating the security architecture of our dear country.
"Yesterday it was Agatu in Benue State, today it is Ukpabio Nimbo in Enugu State. It must stop", he stated.
We won't retaliate
-IPOB
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB yesterday said it will neither retaliate nor encourage the retaliation of the of the cold-blooded murder of Nimbo people in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, because it is not in their character to unleash violence on people.
It also said it will not play into the hands of blood thirsty dictators who have unleashed their kinsmen now on rampage against innocent Nigerians who allowed them to destroy their farms, crops, rape their women and subsequently kill them in the name of taking care of the herds.
IPOB in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Officer, Mr. Emma Powerful, said that they have concluded their action on the killing in Nimbo, by informing the world that they will not retaliate the cold blooded murder of innocent people of Enugu State.
"It is not in our character, neither will we play into the hands of blood thirsty dictators who send their kinsmen on rampage as a forerunner to their evil agenda to subjugate our people. We remain a peace loving, focused and well disciplined mass movement totally committed to freedom."
Ngwu calls for thorough Police investigation
A member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs & Social Development, Princess Stella Ngwu, yesterday, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase and other security agents to immediately embark on a holistic investigation of the circumstances that led to the massacre of defenceless people of Ukpabi/Nimbo in Enugu state by Fulani herdsmen.
Princess Ngwu, who represents the area in the Federal House said in a statement that the "senseless killing of human beings and wanton destruction of properties were premeditated and unprovoked and should be totally condemned.
"I am pained by the sad event. I commiserate with the victims of the attack, families and relations of those killed and the entire people of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area. I also urge the people of the affected area to be calm and law-abiding, as every necessary step shall be taken to track the perpetrators and bring them to face the law.
"I am using this opportunity to call on the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant security agents and stake holders to immediately embark on a holistic investigation of the situation with a view to bringing the culprits to book and forestalling future occurrence.”
I did not call Buhari on Military
- Ugwuanyi
Meanwhile, Governor Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has denied making calls to President Muhammadu Buhari, just as he lauded the President's order that the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Abayomi Olonisakin and the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase should as as matter of urgency go after the suspected herdsmen.
According to him, reports in online media that he made such a call to the President was not only baseless, but unfounded.
In a statement by the Commissioner of Information, Dr. Godwin Udeghele and made available to Vanguard, yesterday, in Abuja, the governor urged the public to disregard such reports which he said cannot be substantiated"
The statement read in part: "The attention of the Enugu State Government has been drawn to reports in online media and facebook that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was responsible for a call to President Muhammadu Buhari who refused to draft Military men to the state following killing of unarmed Nigerians in Uzo-Uwani Council of Enugu State, by persons suspected to be armed herdsmen.
"The Government of Enugu wants to put it categorically clear that such a statement was never made and there was no time a call was made to the president or any one in the presidency.”
"The government describes such media reports as baseless and unfounded which must be disregarded by the public as the need for such a call did not arise.
"We are happy that President Muhammadu Buhari through his Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed has finally announced that as matter of urgency, the service chiefs should go after the suspected herdsmen.
"President Buhari said yesterday that he has also asked the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police to secure all the communities under attacks by suspected herdsmen and go after the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country.
"The Enugu state government is particularly happy that the President has asked that those behind the dastardly act be fished out and it is a welcome development as that had been the prayer of the state government.
"Recall that on the receipt of a call by the chairman of Uzo-Uwani Council by 7pm on Sunday, April 24, the Governor immediately summoned an Emergency security Council meeting by 10pm and in attendance were the Garrison Commander who represented the GOC; the State Commissioner of Poiice, the State Director, DSS and others during which far reaching decisions were taken and they mobilized the same night and the troops were already at Uzo-Uwani.
"Our prayer is that the action of the federal government would finally lay to rest these actions of suspected Herdsmen.
"We urge the public to disregard the media reports as they cannot be substantiated.
"The government of Enugu state wish to call on the people of the state to remain calm and go about their normal businesses."
--------------------------------------------------------------------20 People killed as Fulani herdsmen invade Enugu community
Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu
~Punch, Nigeria. Monday, April 25, 2016
About 20 persons in Ukpabi Nimbo, an agrarian community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, were feared dead during an attack by Fulani herdsmen on Monday.It was learnt that scores of armed cattle herdsmen, reportedly numbering more than a hundred, swooped on the sleepy community in the early hours of Monday.
Sources in the community disclosed that continuous gunshots were heard as the rampaging herdsmen moved to sack villagers from their homes.
Apart from guns, bows and arrows and machetes, or swords, were also wielded by the herdsmen, it was learnt.
Many of the villagers escaped to neighboring communities in the Uzo-Uwani area, but it was gathered that people in the nearby towns are also worried about possible attacks from the herdsmen.
A police source told our correspondent that, as of the time of filing this report, the corpses of five persons who died in the attack had been recovered.
Our correspondent learnt that the corpses, which were deposited at the morgue in Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, were recovered from farmlands.
There were indications that more bodies would be recovered, as our correspondent learnt that the combined team of police and military personnel, who moved into the community to repel the attack, were yet to get to all the affected areas.
Also, sources in the Ukpabi Nimbo community insist more than 20 of their kith and kin were killed before rescue could come.
However, Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who informed to our correspondent that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nwodibo Ekechukwu, led other officers and men to the area, said the total number of casualties could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
Amaraizu, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said the situation in the community had been brought under control.
“We moved in to ensure that the situation did not degenerate beyond control and right now everything is under control.
“The Commissioner of Police is there with other officers and men and the area is being secured.
“We can’t give the total number of casualties yet, it is when the operation is concluded that we will collate figures and give a definite number,” Amaraizu said.
Many members of the Ukpabi Nimbo community, who are mostly farmers, have their homes around their farmlands.
It was gathered that several houses, as well as farms and crops, were also destroyed by the herdsmen.
Our correspondent learnt that the herdsmen had previously fallen out with the villagers over their grazing activities in the community.Sources in the community disclosed that the villagers had been resisting the use of their farmlands as grazing fields by the herdsmen.
It was equally learnt that the situation further degenerated after some herdsmen who operate in Ukpani Nimbo and other communities in the Uzo-Uwani area claimed that their cows were missing.
There were also claims by the herdsmen that some of their colleagues were killed in the area.
The villagers alleged that most of the herdsmen that were involved in Monday’s attack were ‘imported’ from Nasarawa State by other Fulani herdsmen who were already operating in Enugu.
Our correspondent gathered that, before the herdsmen struck on Monday, there was tension in Ukpabi Nimo and other communities in the Uzo-Uwani area over widespread rumour that about 500 herdsmen were mobilising to attack them.
It was learnt that the villagers, in anticipation of an imminent attack by herdsmen, had alerted the Enugu State Government, and the leadership of the Enugu State Police Command.
According to sources, the Chairman, Transition Committee, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Cornell Onwubuya, who was said to have informed the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the police commissioner, Nwodibo Ekechukwu, of the fears nursed by villagers, also met the leadership of the Hausa-Fulani community in the area over the matter.
Interestingly, the rumoured planned attack by 500 herdsmen was the subject of an emergency stakeholders meeting in the Uzo-Uwani area council during the weekend, hours before the herdsmen struck.
The meeting, reportedly, also deliberated on incessant herdsmen-related problems in the area, including several cases of murder, kidnappings and rape recorded in the recent past.
At the meeting, Onwubuya, chairman of the Uzo-Uwani local council, reportedly disclosed that some leaders of the Hausa-Fulani community had confirmed the rumoured plan by the herdsmen to launch an attack in the area.
Also at the said emergency stakeholders meeting, leaders of the Hausa-Fulani community in Enugu reportedly assured that they would take urgent steps to avert the planned attack.
However, the attack still went ahead, as planned, despite the prior notice given to the authorities, and the assurances given at the stakeholders meeting.
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ENUGU MASSACRE: Northern govs under fire… for defending Fulani
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Sunday, May 1, 2016.
• Afenifere, Ijaw youths fault them
The 19 northern governors came under criticism yesterday over their position that the Fulani should not be labelled as criminals.
The Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, asked the governors to bury their heads in shame over their position which came in the wake of the heat generated by the attack on Ukpabi-Ninbo community in Enugu State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, last Monday.
Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) also condemned the governors.
The northern governors, who met in Kaduna, on Friday, had taken a strong exception to the branding of perpetrators of crimes around the country as Fulani.
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, who spoke on behalf of the group,said it was an insult to consider criminals as Fulani.
Afenifere, yesterday, faulted the governors' position, asking them to bury their heads in shame.
The Yoruba group, which spoke through their National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told Sunday Vanguard: "It (the northern governors' position) is a sign of unfeeling, uncaring for any group today to come out and say that those who have been causing problems and killing people in the Middle Belt and the South are not Fulani herdsmen. They have killed in Agatu land, Enugu; a traditional ruler was killed in Delta State; they killed Chief Olu Falae's guard and also kidnapped Chief Falae himself. For some people to gather and call themselves northern governors, and have no sympathy for lives than to be defending the Fulani herdsmen, shows clearly that it is a tragedy of monumental proportion to be in the same country with these elements. You also begin to wonder if the blood of human beings runs in their veins because anybody that has human blood running in his veins will not come and say that Fulani herdsmen are not responsible. What nonsense."
The Afenifere spokesperson went on: "I think the northern governors should bury their heads in shame. I do not think they are fit to be in the comity of civilized human beings. If the attackers are not Fulani herdsmen, where have they struck in the North-West? Why are their activities only in the Middle Belt and in the South? That is the question these northern governors should answer. When militants were blowing up pipelines in the South-South, were they not called Niger Delta militants? Do they want us to call them Yoruba herdsmen?"
In a statement, the IYC described the northern governors' position as an affront on other nationalities.
Spokesman for the group, Eric Omare, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said the governors stance was disappointing and a tacit support for criminality and Fulani herdsmen pillaging of their host communities.
His words, "The statement by the northern governors is disappointing and a tacit support for criminality and the ongoing Fulani herdsmen terrorism.
"If they are interested in peace in Nigeria, they ought to be more concerned about the implication of the activities of the Fulani herdsmen rather than a perceived insult on the Fulani race.
"The IYC condemns the stand taken by the northern governors and calls on southern leaders to brace up for the challenges ahead.
"Furthermore, we wish to state that part of the reason Boko Haram grew to become a national problem was the tacit support given to them by northern political leaders and this Fulani herdsmen terrorism is taking the same pattern; hence it must be taken seriously."
-----------------------------------------------------
Nigerians say "NO" to National Grazing Reserves Bill
Written by Tony Chinonso
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Sunday, May 1, 2016
This naturally resulted in clashes between the aggrieved farmers and the cattle rearers using cutlasses, bows and arrows to settle scores. In recent times, cattle rustlers armed with sophisticated weapons entered the scene, killing the herdsmen and herding the cattle away to be sold in other parts of the country. Herdsmen therefore had no choice than to abandon their traditional long sticks for AK 47 rifles with which they now have an advantage over the farmers in any of their confrontations.
In a bid to curb curb these violent clashes, a bill, sponsored by Senator Zainab Kure, representing Niger Central in the Seventh Senate was presented for consideration but was rejected by the last Senate. The Bill has however been revived in the present political dispensation and presently before the House of Representatives.
Titled; "National Grazing Reserve (Establishment) Bill 2016", sponsored by Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim, it provides for the establishment of the National Grazing Reserve Commission which shall have power to among other things establish at least one Cattle Reserve in each state of the federation.
The Commission is also mandated to:
*Manage, control and maintain the Cattle Reserves;
*Prescribe the persons who may be licensed to use the Grazing Reserves and determine the type and number of stock permitted therein;
*Prescribe the manner in which the Grazing Reserves may be put to use;
*Fix charges for the Grazing Reserves;
*Maintain and Ensure, in co-operation with the Nigerian Police, the security of lives and property within the Reserve;
*Provide for and issue grazing permits to persons grazing within the Reserves;
*Develop infrastructure and basic amenities such as clinic, schools, etc within the Reserves;
*Demarcate the land boundaries of the Grazing Reserves;
*And prosecute persons who graze outside the Grazing Reserves and other offenders of the Regulations of the Commission.
A cross section of Nigerians were therefore interviewed to share their views on the proposed bill before the National Assembly. Majority of the respondents condemned the move by the Federal Government to establish Grazing Reserves for cattle rearers in each state of the federation arguing that it is recipe for national chaos. Cattle rearing is a business and the owners of the business should take care of their business and not being provided land belonging to other people. There were some respondents who believed however that the bill has some merits but cautioned the government to tread cautiously.
DELTA
Steve Ovedje
It is a dangerous ploy by the Buhari Administration to jettison the implementaation of the 2014 National Conference which recommended the scrapping of grazing routes for the establishment of ranches. It negates the principle of natural justice and therefore a recipe for violence. The move to take lands belonging to different people and hand such over to an ethnic group would be surely resisted by the people. It is a violation of subsisting Land Use Act and Traditional means of Land Holding. Ranching is the new world order and that must be embraced here and now.
Tosan Atie
I do not subscribe to the idea or plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to apportion grazing fields to fulani herdsmen in all the states which is like giving them license to kill. In the last one year since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, the fulani herdsmen men have killed, raped and sent many innocent lives to their untimely grave. Secondly, these Fulani herdsmen are into their private businesses. It's like saying he will apportion special fishing fields for the average Ijaw fisher man at Argungu or other parts of the northern states that their fisher men are predominantly Northerners
PLATEAU
Rev Jeremiah Gado, President of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA Such plan only takes care of a certain group of people, while no one is talking about the farmers whose land will be taken and given to the herders. The Church is not in support of grazing routes, reserve or whatever name, there are cattle in other countries, how are these countries taking care of their cattle?
Mr. Bitrus Kaze
Grazing routes, fields, reserves can be seen as robbing Peter to pay Paul. If the farmers' lands are taken and given to Fulani herdsmen, will you also collect the cattle to give farmers? Who will pay for these lands, is it the federal, State, local government or individual cattle rearer?
Dorcas Kuyahar
This is the same evil coming in another form because we are not sure if those who will reside in the grazing fields will not rise with sophisticated weapons and attack the host communities.
Ezekiel Sunday
Why should government contemplate this evil in the first place? Where did these Fulani herdsmen come from to settle in this state. Don't they have ancestral home? Did they fall from heaven with no origin? Please no one should think of coming to collect my only land in the name of grazing field.
Awwal Usman
The plan would be good but all implications should be examined before implementation so that we don't create a bigger problem while trying to solve a smaller one.
BAYELSA
Mr Lewis Dudafa, Business man
It is a good idea considering the crisis that has accompanied these Fulani herdsmen grazing in most parts of the country. However, in the South-South or Niger Delta particularly, I do not think the people will welcome this idea of giving out their land exclusively for the Fulani herdsmen. It is like forcefully seizing their lands from them and may lead to more problems. I am of the view that if the government is planning a grazing field, it should be in the Northern part of the country where the Fulanis are more dominant, as it will lead to further crisis particularly in the Niger Delta.
Mr Joseph Saturday Audu, Civil Servant
I am in total support of this grazing field and I am surprised that the last National Assembly failed to look at the merits of this bill before striking it out. In my opinion such grazing field if implemented will go a long way in solving and preventing incessant clashes between farmers and the herdsmen because the herdsmen would be restricted and confined in a particular location which is far better than this indiscriminate roaming and grazing and the attendant problems it is currently causing the nation.
Mrs. Naomi Felix, (Civil Servant)
It is not acceptable to us in Niger Delta. We are not cattle herdsmen, so why on earth must we allocate part of our lands to strangers so to speak? This is unheard of. For ages, the Niger Delta have been crying for true federalism and resource control but have been denied even when we profess to be practicing a federal government. If it is the minority or Niger Delta that had been holding the country to ransom in the name of cattle rearing would they have urged other parts to set aside their lands for us? Let us not do things that would alienate other parts of the country. I say no to grazing fields in our states.
Mr Kennedy Okonkwo, (Driver)
I think that would not be a good idea, I am not in support of it because the herdsmen have already created so much animosity between them and the farmers, so I would advise the government to jettison such policy as it would not go down well with the people of this area. The government should think of other solutions rather than compelling other Nigerians to give out their lads to herdsmen. If I may ask how is cattle rearing contributing to our national economy?
KADUNA
Amina Anebi, golfer
I don't support the creation of grazing reserve because you can't just go to someone's land, take it and give to the same Fulani who are killing the owners of the land. No matter the space you provide for them, there is something in them that keeps them roaming around forever.
It would amount to a waste of people's valuable land and can spark new crisis.
Mrs Farida Dauda, Business woman
If the grazing reserve as claimed by government will bring peace, I support it. I am tired of people getting killed all the timembecause of clashes between farmers and herdsmen. All I care about is peace, for God's sake
David Onoja
I am not only against the so-called grazing reserve; I even want the entire Land Use Act repealed. It is against natural justice to appropriate people's land into government use just like that. How can a Fulani man from another place just freely wander into my ancestral land and it is forced out of my hands and given to him. Any attempt to create grazing reserve will be a recipe for endless conflicts between the owners of the land and the Fulani beneficiaries. Every piece of land is owned by someone and it is very dear to him, no matter how remote.
Usman Ibn Lapai, Public Relations Consultant
I think it is the best solution to end this endless crisis. This will settle the Fulani and keep him away from going into farmlands.If security is also provided for them at the reserves, it will check the problem of cattle rustling. I think we should all welcome it.
Mr. Andrew Fadason, Author, former Editor, Sunday New Nigeria
The idea should be modified into ranches with mixed economic activities that will involve youths from the area that own the land.It should not be taken as a panacea for the endless violence between herdsmen and farmers. All marauders must be found and be brought to book.
My idea is that the ranch should have space for agriculture and animal husbandry complete with basic amenities for both herders, farmers others with allied business and services.
IMO
Romanus Anyassor (Newspaper Distributor)
This is how a fratricidal war of unimaginable proportion starts. The Fulanis have surreptitiously declared war on innocent citizens of Nigeria. If the federal and state governments fail to adequately and conclusively deal with this emerging time bomb now, I see a situation when the affected citizens will take up arms in self defence. If this is allowed to happen, it may ultimately lead to separation of the federating units. Where were the governments and the security agencies when herdsmen rape our women and young girls, killed, maimed, destroyed farmlands, communities and churches?
I suggest that the Fulanis should be stopped from bringing their cows to Igboland.
Chidiebere O. Tasie, Businessman
We are saddened beyond description at the way President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration have maintained a deafening silence over the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen. The Agatu experience is still fresh in our memories and now, they have ventured into the South East. This shows that they are executing a well planned script to take over and Islamize the entire country. The Directorate of State Security, DSS, should find out why these Fulani herdsmen carry AK 47 rifles. It would also be instructive to find out who authorized their use of the deadly weapon.
Joe Etim (Public servant)
I don't see why these Fulani herdsmen should go about with assault rifles. The impression the rest of us have about allowing these Fulanis to carry guns, points to the fact that there is a clandestine plot to eliminate particular tribes in Nigeria. I think this is another glaring case of Boko Haram infiltrating the Southern States and unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens. Secondly, this is also a ploy to Islamize the country.
OYO
Mr. Yinka Adeniran, a journalist
It is wrong to be talking about getting grazing reserves for them across the country. This is tantamount to preferential treatment. The world over where people rear animals, they keep and feed them in ranches and not moving them about encroaching upon property of others. Government should make a law that would confine them to their areas. Rearing cattle is a personal business just like poultry, piggery, fishery and farming. Since the government is not giving these people any preferential attention, the Fulani herdsmen too, don't deserve it.
Mr. Peter Idowu, lawyer
In as much as I would support the proposal, its workability is very doubtful. These Fulani herdsmen are itinerant, they are not stationary in one place, how would the government confine them to a place?
Mr Ayodele Adigun, former Secretary to Oyo State Government
I wonder why the issue of grazing reserve should be a national concern. Farming or cattle rearing is a personal business and it is improper to make personal business a national business. You can imagine the government giving them lands in Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross river and many others. These lands, mind you, are owned by families. How would it sound if you get their lands and give them to a group of people. Just last Tuesday, they attacked my farm and frightened my farm attendants out of the farm. Now, they are afraid to come back. A group of people think that they can frighten us away from our lands. As they value their cattle, we also value our own businesses.
Imagine them coming to my farm with AK 47 riles. They are not robbers. What will armed robbers go to farms to do. Since it is the Federal Government that controls security, I don't know why these people are allowed to go about with AK 47 rifles. I am sure these weapons are not registered. In the past, Fulani used to graze his animals with stick and cutlass but now, they are armed with guns. They are everywhere. They caused problem in Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Ondo, Osun, Ogun and now they are in Oyo. It will never work here. We won't take it."
Mrs. Deborah Olufemi Badmus
The government should not think of that. We can never support it in Oke Ogun because they have killed so many people in our area. It is very risky to give them lands.
Mr. Adeboye jobs Oluwole, computer engineer
This kind of thing should not be allowed to sail through at all. I see a problem in the nearest future. These people are very hostile and non-accommodating. Their nomadic life has robbed them of good relationship with people. They should stay in their state. If other zones agree, I am sure that people in the South-South and South East can never take it".
Pa Alake, Businessman
Knowing the atrocities the herdsmen committed against Yoruba in Ilorin several years ago, no Yoruba man would welcome such an idea. They cannot be trusted at all. They are ruthless and violent. Nobody invites trouble to be with him. Imagine what they did and are still doing in the North where they would kill and burn down a whole town and village. Who will allow such people to come here. Never.
ONDO
Seun Akingboye
I do not support such because it is a way of giving the land of the people to the fulani herdsmen even outside their own region, if such bill is passed, it is a way of taking the land from owners and giving it to the northerners. There will always be conflict and crisis. Government should be careful not to create crisis like it happened in south Africa that caused the great trek in 1834- 1837. Government should apply caution because such bill will lead to communal war between the land ownwers and the fulanis.
Okeowo Tope
I won't support such in its entirety because the fulani have said they will expend their territories from Kano to Lagos and portharcourt. Now they have succeeded in that of Lagos. They now want to do it in other part of the country. If they want grazing reserve they should buy or lease land because it's a pure business venture. Israel is a desert but it has been able to develop a type of grass that they plant to feed their herds other countries should follow suit. The world has moved away from nomadic cattle rearing to having ranches like in Australia.
Gbadamosi Oyebola
I won't support it if the fulani wants to expand their business, they should find grazing land in their state and create ranches, passing the bill into law will be at the detriment of other occupation like farming. The National Assembly should not pass the bill into law. The governors in the north should accommodate the herdsmen instead of spreading their tentacle towards the south and causing havoc.
Yinka Oladoyinbo
I do not support it. Even in advanced countries what is in vogue is that they build ranches for their herds. It's another attempt to rid people of the land . Since it is a private business why should Federal government uses our commonwealth to service few individuals who are herdsmen . It's unthinkable, it should be condemned by all and sundry.
Mrs. Mary Kolawole
It is unacceptable. It's a kind of oppression on others. Why take people's land to satisfy others because you want satisfy the interest of few individuals in the north . Why should government even think of such. They should stay clear of our land. Ranches should be made for them in the North.
ANAMBRA
Dr. Chris Eluemunoh, Chairman of Presidents of Ohaneze in all Igbo -speaking states
Why should government create grazing fields for people doing their private businesses? What is special about Fulani people and their cows? They should create grazing fields in their areas and such a thing should not concern people who are not herdsmen. Forcing people to donate their farmlands for grazing fields will only lead to a catastrophe as clashes are bound to happen between the herdsmen and farmers. This law should never be allowed to pass. The ideal thing is that grazing fields should be created where there are cows and everybody knows where the cows are found in this country. The highest the government can do is to create ranches in the states where cows can be kept for people to go and buy and the cows should not leave those ranches to wander on people's farms. That is how it is done in countries that even have more cows than Nigeria. We discussed this issue at the last National Conference and resolved that only ranches can be created in southern states and not grazing fields.
BAUCHI
Nachia Jonathan
I don't support the plan by the government to apportion grazing Field to fulani herdsmen in all the States of the country because it will not solve the clashes they have with farmers as they will still trespass and enter people's farmland, particularly when they see greener pastures elsewhere. The president should solve this problem of frequent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and citizens by first of all bringing to justice all the perpetrators of violence among the herdsmen before talking about apportioning any portion of land to them for grazing "
Tasiu Kawu,
I support the plan because it wil minimize the clashes between herdsmen and citizens. If the herdsmen are given a portion of land in all the states of the federation, they will now know their boundaries and if they trespass, they will face the wrath of the law'
Fulani Herdsmen from countries like chad, Niger and cameroun , are known to be violent, they are the ones that migrated from their countries into Nigeria and they are called Kudda. They are known to graze with weapons, but once this law is enacted, it will help to curtail them.
Elizabeth Carr, a journalist.
The plan is not a good development because it is strictly their private business and they should not be made to be confined to a particular area because they are normads that migrate from one place to the other. If you are saying that a particular portion of land should be apportioned to these herdsmen, the question is that who now takes charge of the land, particularly when they migrate.
Ernest, School Principal
Apportioning grazing fields to Fulani herdsmen is unacceptable because the plan is coming as an afterthought from the President after the herdsmen had wrecked havoc among residents. I feel this plan should have come earlier and not after the herdsmen have destroyed lives and properties in some parts of the country. Even if they are given grazing fields, they will still wreck havoc because they are looking for something else and not grazing lands"
ENUGU
Gambo Danjuma,Member Civil Liberty Organization,CLO,Governing board.
No sane man can support the plan to establish grazing reserves across the country. Ab initio, we had grazing routes where Fulani herdsmen ply to cross over from one state to another. The planned grazing reserve is an avenue of wasting taxpayers money on the Fulani. Are we going to contribute money to boost their businesses? Their business is a private business. It is as good as saying Nigeria is raising cattle for the fulani herdsmen".
Johnson Chukwuobasi,Businessman.
The plan will create anarchy especially in the south-east geopolitical zone where the herdsmen have found a safe haven. The herdsmen should deal with issues of deforestation and insurgency driving them away from the North-East geopolitical zone. Whose land will Federal Government take and give to private herdsmen who are doing their own business? The federal government should equally make plans of building shops for Igbo traders in all council areas nationwide. We will stand up and resist any attempt to create grazing reserves especially in the south-east geopolitical zone because it is criminal".
Emma Ugwueze,Journalist
States that are interested should establish ranches as is obtainable in developed climes. Businessmen pay for their shops. Why should federal government usurp people'sland to grow individual businesses. They should buy land and conduct their business in a confinement. The idea to create reserves in all council areas will plunge the country into a perpetual war. The menace of the herdsmen,killing,raping,destruction of farmland and properties will then spiral out of control. The National Assembly should throw out any bill seeking to create grazing reserves nationwide. This is a manifestation of Buhari's agreement with the Fulani to support his electioneering campaigns in the days leading to the 2015 general election"
Onah Festus, Lecturer
The plan cannot be encouraged because herdsmen do not pay any form of tax to the Federal Government. They disguise as cattle rearers to unleash mayhem. They should operate within their domain in the North. It is just like giving land for example to Abakaliki Rice producers nationwide for free which the federal government has not talked about. Where on earth has a country contributed their land to grow private businesses of a negligible few? It is not done. Everyday,we are greeted with chilling news of herdsmen attacks,sack of their host communities. They are notorious everywhere they go. They cannot coexist with their host peacefully. Any state or council area that wants to accommodate them should be ready for war because they will overrun the people. It is sacrilegious to think of a grazing reserve in the country amidst the prevailing security situation. It will give way for further insecurity problems. Our people will resist any attempt by the Federal Government to create the grazing reserve. No day passes in this country without attacks on hapless Nigerians by the herdsmen. Moreover,it will be an infringement on peoples right of land ownership if government forcibly takes their land for individuals' grazing reserve.
ABIA
Chief Uzor Azubuike, Abia state commissioner
For me, it is a welcome development because our experience in Abia is that they destroy farm lands, rape our women, and maim people. So putting them together and guiding them will be good because we already have some problem. But I hope that they will not see the proposal as an opportunity to occupy and build an empire we see in Benue State today. It is a programme that must be carefully and properly planned so that the Fulani herdsmen can conduct themselves. I am afraid that if not properly planned and managed, they may use it as a launching pad for an empire. And if it is properly done, our people can also go into the business, it is not an exclusive trade of the Fulani. Generally, it is a good idea but it must be properly done so that there will be sanity.
NIGER
Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, secretary, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Niger state chapter
I am very much in support of the idea of grazing field just as our Association is also in support of the idea. We have lost a lot of lives and property, a lot of animals were killed, herdsmen were killed while many houses were burnt as a result of clashes between the Nomads and farmers in this country. It is our belief that with this bill, this crisis will be reduced to the barest minimum. In the global world now where ranches are established, grazing reserves being proposed by the government is similar to that because the issue of rearing animals from one point to the other is only applicable mostly in this part of the world. This idea will assist greatly not only in curtailing the crisis between Normads and farmers but it will also improve the livestock development in this country.
Alhaji Aliyu Lawal, Journalist
I am very in support of the new policy because it will curtail the frequent Fulani Farmers clashes that have been reuccuring in parts of the country in the past years. When the new policy is implemented,the Fulanis will not have the opportunity of encroaching into other people's farms. Instead, they will stay with their cattle and allow them to graze there and I am sure that if this is done, a Fulani man can stay there for ten to twenty years without moving to anywhere and the problem of clashes between them will be a thing of the past. I disagree that the Fulanis cannot stay in one place for long. though they are Nomadic, they can easily adopt to the new policy especially when their cattle can have proper feeding to enable them produce enough milk and have fleshy
OGUN
Wale Taiwo
The Fulanis have spoilt so many farm lands, giving them land is not going to solve the problem, they should go back to their state where they belong".
Adewale Adelani
I don't support the government coming to appropriate our lands here in South West because our children must inherit the land but if it taken from us now what will our children who want to farm live on? I don't support
Segun Oladipupo
The best thing to curb the invasion of Fulani herdsmen men from destroying people's farm is to create grazing field . When they organise a grazing field for them, their herds will be able to feed without disturbing anybody. That is the best solution".
Comrade Seyi Adeyanjo
Why is it that in the whole of southern Nigeria, the Fulani men are rampaging the whole place and there was nothing anybody can do to stop it, and not even one person has been arrested? The government should address that before talking about grazing field
Biyi Oduyale
If apportioning grazing field to them will solve the problem of violent clashes with farmers, let them have it.
KWARA
Mrs Folashade Garuba, Business woman
It can't work,because they are used to migrating from one place to another, that has been their lifestyle. Their people should talk to them at the community level to make them understand that they should be controlling their cows to stop them from destroying other people's property.
BENUE
Mrs Mnlumun T.
We will not give our land to Fulani herdsmen, they should go back to where they are coming from because Nigerians are tired of their troubles. If they do that it means this government wants to create colonies for Fulani herdsmen in every state.
Emmanuel Onah
Let the owners of the cows take them to their various states and look for how to graze their cows. How is it the business of government to provide grazing field for cows that belong to individuals which more or less is a business venture?
Mrs. Ali, Nursing mother
I cannot support such a plan, people who own the cows should bear the responsibility of getting a place for pasture and not the government. Except they want to tell us that some top government people own the cows and are equally arming the herders.
Mr George Oko
The truth is that no community in Benue state will be ready to part with its parcel of land for that purpose. Owners of herd should be able to provide pasture for their cows, it is certainly not the business of government to do so. In other countries of the world herd are confined by their owners. It is not the business of government to do such.
Odu Ichapi
Government should make laws banning wild grazing as practiced in the country presently and allow owners of the cows find pasture for their herd since it is the private business of such individuals.
OSUN
Rafiu AbdulHameed
Yes, I'm in support, because of many reasons. Aside from the fact that the step will give them a sense of belonging,it will also reduce various clashes being witnessed all over the country between the fulani herdsmen and farmers
Gbenle Adebiyi
My take on the issue is that there should be a restricted grazing reserve since in the South West here, we are not known for Normadic business. The cattle rearers should be restricted to their areas. These cattle rearers are destroying the farm land with impunity in Yoruba communities. For me, the activities of these cattle rearers look like they have the backing of the Federal Government.
Wale Olayemi
My position is that just like farming, animal husbandry is an economic venture. In other countries people who engage in animal husbandry have their private grazing land that restricted their animals to a particular area. So, the Nigeria situation should not be different, the Fulani cattle rearers are encouraged to create their own private grazing land.
Olaniyi Ajibola
I am in support of the proposed policy but it should be decentralized because of the sensitivity of the business. The incessant crises between the farmers and the cattle rearers is capable of dragging the country into another civil war. My advice for the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association is that they should sensitise their members because of the activities of those carrying dangerous weapons.
KANO
Bappa Jakusko, a Fulani
The Fulanis are rich people, and they should be encouraged to privately own grazing fields fortified with state of the art facilities as obtained in the developed economy in the interest of peace and socio economic development of the country.
Muhammad Kabiru Yau, Human Rights activist
I think the effort is not necessary considering the nature of the Fulanis. It is difficult to cage them in one place in whatever guise and going by their nature you can't restrict them to a place no matter what you do. It is difficult to change the age long tradition of these people
Comrade Saidu Bello
I really support the proposal, it is the surest way to checkmate incessant clashes. Besides, it is their fundamental right considering Fulanis' contribution to the economic growth of our country. If you provide a grazing field you guarantee economic growth, control criminality and you ensure peace.
Engr Abubakar Maishanu
Well it's a nice step in the right direction, but government must take into cognizance the lifestyle of the Fulanis. They are nomadic in nature and may be difficult to cage them in one place, and it would be ideal for Government to also involve the private sector but should set the ball rolling before gradual withdrawal for the private sector.
Hon. Sagir AbdulQadir Panshekara, ex chairman, Kumbotso local government area of Kano.
It's an inalienable right of the Fulanis to be given special treatment considering their vital role in the economy. Personally, this is long over due, if farmers are given fertiliser subsidy for providing the food, what do you offer to the group that provides the meat? Their role in modern economy is such that we need to encourage them through laudable policies to tap the best out of them.
RIVERS
Chief Polycap Okpara
Creating a reserve for Fulani herdsman could lead to disintegration. The reserve as it is,stand out as the major, if not only source of food supply to the larger nation. Federal Government should take a cue from the U.S that has no reserve for cattle grazing, yet they produce the largest market of beef for domestic consumption and for export. In addition, any attempt to allow Fulani herdsmen to graze in the reserve, will surely lead us to long awaited disintegration of the federated Nigeria.
Doris Mcdaniels, Chairperson Ijaw Mothers Union.
Our Okrika people will not welcome a reserve in the community. My people are peculiar. If they allot grazing area in Okrika, I am sure the cattle and the Fulani herdsmen will find their exit through the sanitary soak away.
AKWA IBOM
Mrs. Ubong-Abasi Chris
Grazing Site is necessary to check the attacks and unnecessary killing of defenceless farmers. I am saying this believing that they would also tolerate other ethnic nationalities and religious groups to reside in their states and do their legitimate businesses without hinderance.
Miss Imo Etukukoh-A civil servant
It is a welcome development so that these people could be monitored. It is a nice idea because like in other states, farmers in Akwa-Ibom State are complaining of degradation and destruction of their farms by cattle rearers. Grazing field will enhance control of the cows and also help to curb the lawless disposition of the herdsmen.
Edidiong George-Student
I am in support of the idea to provide herdsmen in the states of the federation with grazing fields. It will help to check the excesses of the cattle rearers and the destruction of people's farms by their cows since they think their business is superior to other people's business.
Bassey Umoh-Farmer
Cattle rearing is a private business and as such, those who are into it should not take the laws into their hands because other private individuals do not disturb the peace of other individuals with their businesses. If they do not know how to manage their businesses again, they should look elsewhere. If they must run their cattle business, they should provide grazing sites for their cattle or be made to face the wrath of the law when they contravene the law.
Rev. Samuel Joshua- Cleric
I agree with Governor Ajumobi of Oyo State, who has said that his state will not provide grazing sites for cattle rearers because of their belligerent and militant nature. These people go about with guns causing havoc unchallenged and the security agencies fold their arms watching them. I believe our President who has experience in warfare should be a Minister of Defence and not Petroleum so as to check militancy as perpetrated by those cattle herdsmen.
Besides, the federal government does not provide special space for farmers, so, why should special treatment or preference be given to cattle rearing farmers. That is not justifiable, I don't support that idea. It is a biased idea.
ADAMAWA
Abubakar Tafal
The idea is not a good one because the business of cattle rearing should be the sole responsibility of the owners of the cattle to find grazing sites for their flocks.
Mr. Ogbonna Uche
The issue is fragile and government has to be careful about it in order not to overheat the polity because Nigerians are feeling that government is giving undue attention to the Fulani herdsmen and their flocks to the detriment of others who are in the cattle business.
Mr. Femi Oluwalomola, cattle farmer
The idea of a creating a grazing field for Fulani herdsmen is an an insult on other Nigerians. Anyone who owns flock should be responsible for their upkeep.
Aliyu Sarki
The issue of apportioning a grazing field for Fulani herdsmen will reduce if not eliminate the present spate of cattle rearers/farmers feud across all states of the Federation.
Chiemeka Akwarandu, Public Affairs commentator
Nigerian government should embrace modern system of agriculture like it is done in many African countries like Morocco, Egypt and Kenya. The nomadic system should be abolished given the present security challenges in the country. Secondly, our traditional institution should set up local security to compliment the efforts of the police and other security agencies.
Dr. (Mrs.) Nma Olebara, a woman leader and retired educationist.
The menace of these herdsmen has become something else but government seems to be comfortable with their atrocities. Why would the army, the police and other security agencies appear to be doing little when these herdsmen kill and destroy property, but we see photographs on the social media where the law enforcement agencies are killing IPOB members who are harmless and only staging a protest. Do we talk of the massive genocide in Nasarawa, the Agatu Holocaust, the Jos devastation and the massacres of South Easterners and the devastation of their farmlands. Do we talk of over fifty lives, churches, schools and property that were lost in Enugu State or over two thousands displaced in their own homelands? Don’t we have a commander in chief who can order military action against these insurgents as he did to Boko Haram and promised to do to pipeline vandals? Or do we now value cows and crude oil more than human being? Is human life no longer sacred and blood not precious and costly anymore in Nigeria? What is bad is bad, must we keep silent because of those involved? Let’s do unto others as we would expect them do unto us. Enough is enough!
Professor Chinedu Asinu Anosike, Brand consultant.
It is high time the Igbos came together as one united entity to match the Fulani militia, which Nigerian carelessly call herdsmen, force for force.
Boko Haram has truly penetrated the nooks and crannies of Igboland in the guise of herdsmen and we are folding our hands watching helplessly until we are held hostage in our dear fatherland. We need to deal with the situation decisively now or never.
Okenze Ndukwe, a community leader
It is time the ghosts of the famous Bakassi Boys are resurrected. Igbos need to wake up the strong men of Aguleri and Umuleri. Igbos must rouse the community self help spirit, which Ndigbo are famous for. Let each and every community gear up and protect themselves at all costs against these marauders.
It is time for action. Go to sleep and your people will be annihilated. Stay awake and keep your community alive.
A traditional ruler speaks:
A royal father, who did not want his name in print, not only condemned the attack but also described it as “a porgrom in the making”.
Are these Fulanis above the law? In all their damnable rampages, we would like to know how many of them were ever arrested and prosecuted. We cannot be running a country with different destinies for different citizens. The madness must stop please.
Chief Obinna Ibole, a community leader
I think the mistake is from our system that has not till now, made effort to domesticate cow rearing.
Added to the above, one may begin to wonder who owns these cows that roam our farms. Is it these hungry-looking herdsmen that follow the cows about? Definitely no!
It therefore means that there are some unseen owners that fully back these herdsmen in anything and everything they do. Most likely, it is these unseen masters that empower and arm the herdsmen.
It is most appalling, how these armed herdsmen massacre, rape, threaten and destroy communities even as it seems that there are no more strong-willed youths in these communities to defend their home against intruders and marauders. One may have to blame the security organization for not acting speedily to avert such avoidable calamities.
I think it is now time for all the communities in the South East and South South to be security conscious and get prepared to assemble parallel vigilante groups, similar to the Civilian Joint Task Force that assisted the military in the North East to combat Boko Haram in the North, because chances are that these deadly persons are terrorists under the guise of herdsmen. It is instructive to remind us all that the moment they are able to overrun any local government area, they will pitch their camp and shift focus from Sambisa Forest to any other settlement in the south.
The Southern Governors need to close ranks and rise above political party platforms and come together to avert possible invasion of the south, as being speculated now.
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Our story, by Baba Othman Ngelzarma, National Secretary, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen
Written by Femi Ajasa.
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Sunday, May 1, 2016
Baba Othman Ngelzarma is the National Secretary, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen.
In this interview, he explains the challenges confronting the Fulani herdsmen and frowns at the negative profiling of the Fulani people.
And whereas he admits that there are a few criminals who are of the Fulani stock, the true situation is that Fulani herdsmen too are victims of cattle rustlers.
I want to believe that you have seen part of the Grazing Bills and the question is, do you think that would solve the problem?
Firstly, before I say anything, let me use this opportunity to condemn in totality what has taken place in Enugu, it is extremely shocking and I want to sympathise with the government and people of Enugu State irrespective of who has done it. People have lost their lives.It is a sad happening and we hope the security will do all they could to fish out the perpetrators.
We, too, have suffered immensely in the hands of these perpetrators because our cattle are lost in their thousands, Fulanis are always kidnapped – hardly a day passes and you will not hear that five or 10 Fulanis have been kidnapped for ransom. Only that it is a silent happening and the media is not covering it.
Fulani being kidnapped?
Yes. Every day. Find out from Kaduna State. It's is really sad. These are things that are perpetrated by criminals but, surprisingly, everybody is blaming the Fulani herdsmen; so we are now victims and culprits at the same time.
Since some of them are victims, do you think these Bills will address the issues on the table?
Yes, definitely. The law governing the establishment of grazing reserves is not new, it started in 1965. Later in 1978, the Land Use Act was extended to cover it. In 1988, National Agriculture Policy also earmarked 10percent of the total national territory for grazing areas – that is, 9.8million hectares of land were earmarked in 1988 for grazing reserves. That figure was later increased to 20million hectares.
So what happened to all the land?
What we have today is less than three million hectares – the so-called gazetted grazing areas cover only about three million.
We have about 415 grazing areas and grazing reserves and forest reserves because these are different things. The grazing reserves are those that are gazetted. Out of the 415, 141 were gazetted. And those 141 reserves gazetted cover only about three million hectares of land.
And even that one today has been damaged by ecology, encroachment and the rest.
If that is the case, you now have state governors who are saying they will not give out any land. Do you think they should just hold on to see how they could solve the clashes first, before the Bills?
You see, these clashes came as a result of the absence of developed grazing reserves and the protection of those reserves. These are areas that have suffered a lot of neglect because the pastoralists' livelihood has been frequently undermined by unfriendly policies and laws.
The policies of the past administrations have given more attention to agronomy and not the livestock sub-sector. That is what has caused this problem.
This is a consequence of the neglect of this long-term sector of the economy.
As I told you, we have about three million hectares which have been destroyed. They are mostly located in the northern and the south-western parts of the country. These are all the states of the North, as well as Oyo and Ogun states.
How did the grazing reserves work for the herdsmen in the past?
A lot of legislations covered them because, if you go to the states, you have the local government and forestry units working effectively to protect the reserves but, today, I do not think they are there again.
Some people think if there are grazing reserves, that is where the herdsmen should be?
They were occupied to some extent but encroachment by small farmers and big-time farmers, who acquired land to obtain loans from banks and not for real agriculture and the environment, over-grazing and non-maintenance of the reserves, have rendered them useless.
Have groups like yours met northern governors to sensitise them to the future dangers of not maintaining those reserves?
We have been meeting with them for quite some time now.
So why are they not listening?
I don't know. As I told you earlier, it is the neglect of this sector that is causing this problem. If past administrations had done their work like the immediate post-colonial administrations did, we wouldn't be in this situation that we have found ourselves today. May be the reserves would have been developed to an extent that we won't have these issues.
If you look at the Fulani man, the cattle business is his livelihood, so you then wonder why he would be pushed to the southern part of the country in search of grass and water because, if grass and water were provided in the reserves in the North, I do not think the herdsman would have the desire to go anywhere and expose himself to danger because he always moves with his family. He provides security for his family and security for his business, so how do you expect , no matter how illiterate he is, to go and ignite trouble for himself to get killed.
I think some people somewhere are out to profile the Fulani herdsmen as terrorists.
Who do you think those people are?
We don't know. That is the problem. We see the media as going against the herdsmen because most of the challenges we face are not reported.
But if you don't incident the cases with the police, how do we report them?
The police know very much what is happening. Go to the Police Command in Kaduna State and find out what is happening to the Fulani herdsmen.
I'm sure you are aware of the thousands of cattle that are lost daily. Who are the owners of the cattle? They are Fulani herdsmen. We lose a lot of cattle as a result of cattle rustling but who is doing something to protect us? It is only once the coming of this administration that we have seen action being taken in that area.
There must be a faint idea of those who are killing people in the name of Fulani herdsmen?
They are criminals because we do not know them.
But they say they dress like the average Fulani men?
That cannot be ruled out. There was a case in Taraba State two years ago. They came in the Fulani attire but, when they were caught, it was discovered that they were not Fulani. Some people are trying to spoil the name of the Fulani herdsmen. That is what we have in the country today. They stereotype and profile the Fulani herdsmen as criminals.
What do you do if you were in the shoes of the victims or the media that, while carrying out your duty, the narrative you get is that they were kidnapped by Fulani people and this was the ransom they paid to them. Are you saying people should not say it as it is because it involves the Fulani?
Look, we must confess, we have criminals among the Fulani just like any other communities in Nigeria where there are criminals. You are talking about some 30million people in Nigeria. You are also talking about 16million cattle-rearing families in the country. So, if you go to the prison, you will see that the Fulani are more in number. You cannot expect a tribe that occupies just one local government to be compared to one with a spread across the whole country.
So what is your group doing?
As a voluntary organisation, there is a limit to what we can do. We have been reporting to the security agencies and they have been cooperating with us.
In fact, the IGP knows everything.
Take for instance the Olu Falae issue. When it happened, a lot of media attacks were on but we didn't respond; we just took the bull by the horn. We went on tour of the South-West. We went to Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti and later we landed in Ondo. Finally, we visited Olu Falae himself and we discussed extensively and that was what laid that matter to rest because much of what happened then was propaganda. Definitely, Olu Falae was kidnapped; he paid ransom and we discovered that some people were involved. We admit that some people have criminal intent but profiling a whole race because of the crimes of a few or some is something that is not fair.
Some solutions have been proffered but a lot of people are saying the Bills cannot work. Some people insist that the Fulani herdsmen have a business to run and they should finance their business on their own without destroying other peoples' properties?
They are entitled to their opinion but, today, because of the profiling, whichever community that sees a Fulani man is apprehensive. Sometimes, youths of the community would push the Fulani, shoot their cows and that is what ignites problem. We visited Benue State during the last administration and we succeeded in bringing down tension. What we discovered was that when they go to graze in the forest, an area that doesn't belong to anybody, people would come and demand money from them before they can graze. And even after settling, another group would come and demand for money again and, if they refuse to pay, they shoot the cows.
When a Fulani man gets to an area, he reports to the Fulani head in that area and then report to the traditional leadership in the community.
This is the culture wherever they go.
Today, we have over 30million cows in Nigeria, and over 150million sheep and goats. So, if you don't plan for these things, there is definitely going to be a problem. We want government to settle these people in a place because we too are tired of all these problems.
There is this issue of AK-47?
That is one issue I would like to correct. If you see a Fulani man handling AK-47, that is because cattle rustling has become so much that one wonders if there is security in the country. With the coming of this administration, we are seeing a lot of improvement. No peace-loving Fulani man would be carrying AK-47 and moving about.
What sort of improvements have you seen from this administration?
This administration has helped us recover a lot of cattle. I'm sure you're aware of the amnesty granted to some of them in Kano State.
How do you know your cattle?
They have marks and there are traditional ways of identifying the cows. If there are many cows here and a Fulani man wants to identify his own cattle from the recovered cattle, some would sing or make some sounds and you'll see the Fulani man's cow coming out in his direction. All of them have marks for identification.
In Lagos, we have succeeded in catching about, four times, cattle rustlers.
- THIS INTERVIEW WAS FIRST AIRED ON CHANNELS TELEVISION
The herdsmen narrative
Obo Effanga
Twitter: @obobef
~Punch, Nigeria. Monday, May 2, 2016
The late politician and philanthropist, Moshood Abiola, it was who popularised a Yoruba adage that says something like: "The fact that I want to eat beef does not mean I should prostrate to the cow". The wisdom in that statement is that certain things are inexcusable, no matter the circumstances.
That adage comes to mind as one tries to understand the current issue of killings and destruction of rural farming communities by alleged herdsmen. What used to be isolated reports of incidents in the past have suddenly become so recurring and one of the most trending news reports in the last few months in Nigeria.
The most notorious of the incidents was in Agatu, Benue State and left a yet indeterminable number of citizens dead. While we were still chewing on that and government pussy footed, the problem exacerbated with the band of marauders spreading southwards, killing citizens and destroying local communities and settlements. These have happened in circumstances that raise questions as to the nature, quantum and source of weapons they have deployed in the dastardly acts. What is more baffling is how such criminals disappear into nothingness after committing the atrocities, if, as it is claimed, they are herdsmen. Pray, how do they escape with their herds without trail? Or, do they magically disappear like some alien creatures from Mars?
It is clear that by failing to act fast and decisively against these criminals, the Nigerian state becomes complicit and emboldens those criminals and others of their ilk. It is to our shame as a country that after the Agatu killings, nobody has been arrested or prosecuted, the same thing with the more recent killings especially in Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani in Enugu State. And that is the least we can do to the memory of those killed. It is bad enough that the state failed to protect its citizens from death. It deepens the affront and pain when nobody is brought to justice on account of the breach of the right to life.
It is imperative to unravel the crisis by identifying those behind the bloodletting. The common, single and simplistic narrative is to refer to the criminals as "Fulani herdsmen". With that single description, many discussants can easily fill in the gaps, based on their prejudices, experiences and interests. The most recurrent narratives have resorted to highlighting our natural national fault lines of ethnicity and religion. By stressing the presumed ethnicity and religion of the criminals, we stoke anger against that ethnic group and religion and we also put pressure on every member of that ethnicity and religion to either feel communally guilty or vicariously liable for the deaths. We equally expect each one of them to step out and "do something" or "say something" to show remorse or condemnation. But that also means that many people of that ethnicity and religion also feel obliged to stand up or speak out in defence of their groups as a default response.
It is all so easy to describe what is happening as ethnic and religious-motivated. In fact, I have even heard of accusations of ethnic and religious cleansing. After all, cattle rearing in Nigeria, especially the itinerant method, is, almost the exclusive preserve of the Fulani. Most Fulani are also Muslims. And the locations of the attacks on sedentary communities have almost completely been non-Fulani and majority Christian settlements.
With such simplistic interpretation as above, we miss the opportunity for deeper construction of the why and how of the attacks. If indeed the attacks are carried out by herdsmen, what kind of weapons have the criminals been using? Has any forensic examination been made of the tell-tale evidence gathered from the crime scenes such as discharged bullets and their pellets to identify the time and trace the source? What is the pattern of movement? Where do they disappear to with their cattle? And this is why many people believe the criminals cannot be the same as the herdsmen we see every day carrying nothing more than bows, arrows and machetes. Isn't there a possibility that a more deadly set of criminals may be behind this? This is one lead we expect the security operatives to investigate further. If in fact the killings have been caused by the regular herdsmen we know of, then the security agencies would be guilty of ineptitude in preventing or unravelling the crimes.
Perhaps, we need to unravel what has suddenly happened to the previously peaceful coexistence between the itinerant herdsmen and their host, sedentary communities. No doubt, our negative and exclusion politics has a role to play in making each ethno-religious group suspicious of the other.
The central question however is how best the herdsmen can carry on with their business without constituting nuisance to other citizens? For starters, it is not just reasonable to accept that shepherds should move about with their cattle across towns, cities and states without any form of rules or restrictions. Why is it acceptable to see cattle in completely built-up areas of cities such as Abuja in such a manner as to hold up vehicular traffic? The cattle are even found in supposedly protected and restricted areas of our cities. More than 10 years ago, an early morning international flight into Port Harcourt Airport ran into a herd of cattle grazing within the areas abutting the runways. That was certainly an avoidable embarrassment for the country. I doubt if anybody was sanctioned for this.
Many propositions have been made as to the best way of addressing the problem. There is no doubt that we are a beef-loving country, so we would do a lot to ensure the continued existence of the meat for consumption. But as the adage quoted earlier says, we cannot therefore begin to show more respect to cattle (and their herdsmen) to the detriment of the rest of us. It is time to put in place regulations about the movement and control of cattle. Such regulations being suggested include the creation of grazing areas and routes. This is taking into account the fact that the most popular means of cattle rearing in Nigeria is the itinerant method. But that seems to be the major source of the present problem. Land ownership and access remain a main reason for conflict across Nigeria.
Even neighbouring and villages and families who share the same ethnicity, culture and religion have so easily turned against each other in fight to access or keep land. For instance, in the last two weeks, Cross River State has recorded about 10 deaths in two community clashes: Onyadama and Inyima in Obubra and Yakurr local government areas as well as Ukpe, Okpagada and Mgbagede in Ogoja Local Government Area. There is no doubt that those communities share the same ethnicity, religious faith and maybe language. But they turned on one another over land. And this is a recurring thing in many farming communities in Nigeria during the farming season. Because the above incidents do not fit into our national ethno-religious narrative, it made limited headlines, compared to the herdsmen narrative.
For many of our communities, farming and aquaculture are the main source of livelihood. These productive activities rely on access to farmland and source of water, which may be nothing more than the local stream, river or lake. We can therefore understand why those communities would resist access to their farmlands and sources of water by outsiders to those communities, especially if such access is likely to lead to ruination of the farmland and water sources. And this is something that is often reported when cattle gain such access to farmland and water sources.
The suggestion on the creation of grazing routes is therefore one that would clash with this reality, especially if such a creation is going to be arbitrary, without the consent of the locals along the planned routes. In any event, the planned routes would certainly cut across various states and communities and if there is resistance in any location along the route, it would affect the entire plan. Cattle rearing is a private business venture and it is important for those behind the business to negotiate their grazing routes or locations with those who own the lands along their proposed routes.
The question would therefore be whether government can go ahead and acquire lands across the country for the purpose of establishing grazing lands for private businesses. Such land acquisition is to be distinguished from such ventures as oil production which is owned and operated by the Nigerian state and to that extent, government may acquire land for the purpose of running petroleum pipelines and protection thereof. Oil pipelines across communal lands may be more welcome than grazing routes because the pipeline routes do not thereby create settlements within people's traditional homesteads. But grazing lands would certainly create such communities and before long we are likely to create a new narration of "indigenes" and "settlers" within communities, with the attendant social, political and economic tensions that go with it.
From the above, it seems the more realistic approach would be the creation of ranches. It would require business interests acquiring land for such venture and taking steps to ensure the cattle remain within the boundaries. It is also possible for different governments, federal, state or even local governments to establish such ranches, but it should be done with profit in mind so that whoever uses such facilities pays for the services. Even communities could do same, just like they do with establishment of markets.
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Fulani gunmen attack Kaduna village, kill monarch, nephew
Written by Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna
~Punch, Nigeria. Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday night invaded the Fadan Karshi village, killing its district head and his nephew.
Fadan Karshi is in Sanga Local Government Area in the southern part of Kaduna State.
Eyewitness said the District Head, Mr. Bala Madaki, 66, was killed alongside his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, who was taking the 2016 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
A community leader and pastor, Mike Makarfi, said the suspected Fulani invaders attacked the village at about 10.30pm on Sunday.
Makarfi said the Fulani gunmen went straight to the district head's compound, shot sporadically before they entered the chief's room and shot him and Tanko dead.
At the moment, according to the cleric, Fadan Karshi village has turned to a ghost town as residents have fled for fear of being killed.
Security operatives are said to be patrolling Karshi village and those who could not flee from the onslaught were made to stay indoors.
Nobody could give reason for the attack.
Makarfi, however, said the district head and his nephew might have been killed as a result of personal grudge the Fulani had with the monarch.
It was gathered that in May, 2014 Fadan Karshi had come under siege when Fulani gunmen invaded the police station in the area, killing seven people but the police in an exchange of gunshot killed two of the suspected Fulani men.
The Fulani Association had petitioned the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) and copied the then governor where they demanded that the Fadan Karshi district head be "arrested, dethroned and prosecuted for the death of two Fulani people."
Makarfi said the killing of the district head might not be unconnected with the May, 2014 incident where the two Fulani men were killed.
"This is unfortunate, because in the past one week, we have had some reprieve, just for the violence to turn this way," he said.
Makarfi added, "Around 10pm, the chief moved into his house with his family. Then some gunmen who our people said were Fulani, stormed his compound and started shooting. They went into his room and shot him at close range. They also shot a small boy, Emmanuel Tanko, who was taking his final year secondary school exams.
"Now Fadan Karshi is deserted. Shops and service centres are shut. People are either staying indoors or are leaving the town. No one knows what is coming next. Police are patrolling the streets.
"I want you to recall that this was the district head that received former Governor Mukhtar Yero on September 22, 2014 when our women protested half naked because of the scale of killings by Fulani going on at that time.
"What people are saying about the killings of our district head is that he may have been killed by Fulani who have a grudge against this community and him.
"In May, 2014 some Fulani armed men invaded the police station here and seven people were killed. As they were escaping, two of them were killed in an exchange of gun fire between them and the Police."
When contacted, the Kaduna State Police spokesman Zubairu Abubakar, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
Abubakar , however, said he had yet to get the details of what transpired at the Fadan Karshi village.
As of the time of filing this report, the police spokesman said he was still awaiting reports from the Divisional Police Officer from Karshi.
"I don't have the details yet. When I do, I will surely give you," he said.
But, till press time, he did not come up with any information.
Meanwhile, the state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has condemned the killing of the traditional ruler and his relation.
While commiserating with the family of the victims, the governor urged the people of Sanga Local Government Area to be calm and support the security agencies to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrators of the brutal act.
Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress from the eight local government areas of Kaduna South Senatorial District, el-Rufai said security agencies were investigating the attack, and were working to apprehend the culprits.
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