There must be an end to farmers-herdsmen clashes

Aside the Boko Haram insurgency, the frequent Fulani herdsmen and farmer’s clashes across the country is the most urgent security threat to the country at the moment. Although such clashes have been going on for years, the inability of the government to stop it is now emboldening groups to go on wholesale massacres and elimination of whole communities – including helpless women, children, the elderly and infirm – as a way of settling supposed scores. The recent instance where about 300 people were reportedly massacred in just one incident alone in Agatu local government area of Benue state is a case in point. As widely reported by the media, Fulani cattle rearers in combat gears, armed with AK – 47 rifles invaded several villages and farm settlements in broad daylight, gunning down children, women, men and the elderly alike. According to the report, the Fulani invaders were not only content with killings, but also burned down houses, churches, police posts, food and farm items.

And to confirm the Fulani involvement in the killings, Saleh Bayeri, the Interim National Secretary of Gan Allah Fulani Association, in an exclusive interview with a national daily, defended the actions of his kismen by saying that the killings were a reprisal attack by his people against the Agatus who he accused of killing, in 2003, a prominent Fulani man.

Also, that charge was repeated at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Inspector General of Police, in Makurdi between the Fulani’s and Agatu community both in Nassarawa and Benue state, the leader of the herdsmen in the community, Ardo Boderi admitted the Fulani community carried out the massacre but, this time, on the allegation that the Agatu people killed over 10, 000 of their cattle.

In a way, this speaks volume about the state of law and order in the country and citizens’ respect for the rule of law. A situation whereby people resort to self-help shows clearly they have lost faith with the ability of the state to ensure justice in the country. This can only lead to anarchy and chaos.

We urge the government to do a thorough self-introspection and begin to take measures to strengthen its capacity for maintenance of law and order and ensuring that justice is done to all wronged parties promptly to strengthen their belief and faith in the rule of law and the legal process. We also feel the seeming silence of the President and the non-challant way the administration has been responding to the crisis is condemnable. It gives the impression that the government favours a side to the conflict and is out to protect them.

Certainly, the appropriate response to a case of massacre is not to invite the self-proclaimed killers and the victims for settlement. We expect the government to arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them promptly to serve as a deterrent to others. This is the only measure the government can take now to restore the confidence of the victims in the rule of law. Already, the people of Benue state have been threatening to carry out reprisal attacks in the face of government non-challance or even protection of the alleged killers.

Beyond law and order however, the government must also consider the economy (cost and benefit) of Fulani herdsmen moving their cattle around the country. It has been posited by many experts that the system is very inefficient, prevents to effective growth and development of cattle, leads to needless loss of cattle and significant loss of value in terms of quality of milk and meat production capacity, and above all, leads to constant conflicts with farmers who accuse the herdsmen of destroying their crops. In many ways, Nigeria remains, perhaps, one of the few countries in the world where cattle rearers move cattle over thousands of kilometres on foot in search of food and water and to the market. That is why, for instance, despite the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that Nigeria had a cattle population of 18.87 million in 2011 – enough to provide for the meat and milk needs of Nigeria – the country is helplessly dependent on milk imports. The milk import, according to Audu Ogbe, Minister of Agriculture, is worth over $1.3 billion a year.

It is clear that Nigeria potential’s for milk and meat production is being hampered by its ancient and antiquated system of cattle rearing. Cattle rearing must be treated as a lucrative business that it is and not as a cultural hobby which it appears to be now. Nigeria must invest in ranches, grazing lands, rail transportation, processing facilities and power to maximise its potentials of producing enough milk and meat and above all, put an end to the constant clash between farmers and herdsmen for good.

The time for the government to act is now. We cannot be mouthing the platitude of ‘diversification’ of the economy and continue to do nothing but hope on oil prices to rebound and expect anything to change in the country.