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Friday, March 29, 2024

Addressing The Scourge Of Fulani Herdsmen In Benue State – By John Akevi

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Fulani Cattle Herder

john4akevi@gmail.com

 

Apart from Boko Haram,one recurrent security challenge that confronts

many States in the country is the scourge of fulani herdsmen. The

attacks by the herdsmen on the sedentary communities have being

increasing with each passing day. The magnitude of such attacks are

often associated with terrorist aggression and have been experienced

in states like Benue

Nassarawa,Plateau,Taraba,Kaduna,Adamawa,Zamfara,Oyo,Imo,Cross-River,Enugu

among others. It is important to observed that the experience of these

states with acts being perpetrated by the nomadic herdsmen will only

heightened insecurity and tension but will never resolved the

grievances that stimulated them.

In Benue State,the scourge of fulani herdsmen that bear the imprints

of terrorist incursions indicates the dawn of a new regime of security

concern in the State. Such attacks have in the recent past been

experience in places like Agatu,Guma,Gwer

west,Makurdi,Kwande,Katsina-Ala and Loggo local government areas. The

consequences includes the loss of lives and property of innocent

citizens and increase in apprehension on the questions of security in

Nigeria. They also pose threats to government’s commitments to

peace-building,sustainable democracy and political instability in the

It should be realized that whatever their motivations,these dastardly

acts constitutes set back to the pursuit of unity,peace and

development and should be condemn in entirety.

Benue State is presently at a dawn of a new beginning which require

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investments in infrastructural development,environmental governance

and re branding of her image. Benue State is in an era where

government should be encouraged,to foster unity and

integration,stimulate economic development and enhance the standard of

living of her citizens. These goals can not be attained in a security

vacuum characterized by constant attacks and other acts reminiscent of

terrorism as now evident in our dear State. Take for instance at least

over 5000 persons,including women and children have in the past five

months been murdered when the fulani herdsmen invaded and rendered

over 100 communities desolate. One of the most gruesome attacks

occurred in Shengev community in Gwer west local government council

were over 200 people were killed by the herdsmen with a substance

suspected to chemical weapons.

This came bearly two weeks when the convoy of governor Gabriel Suswam

was ambushed by the suspected fulani herdsmen at Tse-Akanyi village in

Guma local government area in the State.

This prompted governor Gabriel Suswam to summon a security council

meeting,and immediately appeal for international communities to probe

the use of alleged chemical weapons against the Tiv people.

A fact we should realize is that the fulani herdsmen attacks is alien

to Benue State and as such should not attract state patronage.

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This suggest that relevant preventive measures should be adopted to

halt incursion of fulani herdsmen in to our State.

Consequently,aggrieved Benue citizens should explore legitimate

avenues to seek redress to grievances. It is in line with this that

the following recommendations are proffered as recipe to halt the

scourge of killings in the State.

 

i.The State and National Assembly should enact relevant legislations

that address the scourge of the fulani herdsmen and related security

challenges in the State.

 

ii.The security agencies should intensify inter-agency cooperation to

combat the menace.

 

iii.The general public should make vigilance their watch word since

the task of security is a collective responsibility which should

attract comment from every peace loving Benue citizen.

 

iv. Grazing reserves and dams should be establish in the northern

States like,Sokoto Kano,Jigawa,Katsian,Zamfara,Bauchi,Borno and Yobe

to restrict the activities of the fulani herdsmen who are mainly

foreigners from Chad,Mali,Senegal,Guinea and Niger.

Finally,we have no other home but Benue State. Let us join hands and

put an end to this menace because it is better to remove the monkey’s

hand from the pot of soup before it turns to human hands.

 

I REST MY PEN FOR NOW

 

John Akevi lives from Bauchi State,Nigeria.

08188188081

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