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
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.
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
