JOKE ADENIYI-JACKSON
The issue of herdsmen attack in parts of Nigeria has taken an alarming dimension and as such, generated concern in many quarters. Hardly does a day passes that there won’t be media reports of the vicious activities of cattle herders across the country. Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry the seventy three victims of Fulani herdsmen attack in Guma, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State. This has no doubt compounded the security challenges confronting the nation presently
Sadly, Kwara State isn’t immune from this social crime, which has claimed several lives and property. One of such havoc was the destruction of the multimillion naira research and training University of Ilorin farms by cattle’s belonging to herdsmen.
The alarm was raised by the Vice-Chancellor of the institutuon, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem on Monday. And, the cattle herders were also alleged to have poisoned the university’s dam.
Still fresh in our memories is the killing of four persons in a clash that erupted between people of Yakira community in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State and suspected herdsmen sometime last year. It was alleged that the three herders were killed in retaliation to the killing of a farmer. The man, whose corpse was found in his farm, had earlier reportedly complained of incessant grazing of cattle on his farm. It was gathered that when the farmer confronted the herdsmen in his farm, they pounced on him, slaughtered him and dumped his body in the farm. Consequently, some angry youths in the area mobilised and traced the herders to the bush and reportedly killed three of them.
There is also the pathetic case of a 25-year-old Olaide Yahya, who had his hand severed by a Fulani herdsman. He was attacked on his farm located at Oke-Odo in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state, for challenging encroachment by cattle that ate his produce.
It would be recalled that I called attention through this column also to the plight of ex-Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Samuel Olajide Afolayan (retd) who owns a large expanse of farm in Osi, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State in May last year.
I felt the pain of the retired military officer when he opened up on his running battle with herdsmen and consequent destruction of parts of his vast farmland. The ex-military boss said he has lost over N200m of his investment to grazing by cows and bush burning by the herdsmen. It is disheartening that a man of his calibre who has decided to embrace agriculture to contribute his quota to economic development of the state vis-à-vis the nation, should be subjected to frustration as a result of unwholesome activities of herdsmen.
His tale of woes gave insight into the plight of farmers particularly farmers in the state in recent time.
This again throws up the looming danger of farmers/Fulani herdsmen clash in the state. Afolayan sounded a note of warning that the state and the country is on the precipice of peril, if the trend continued unchecked.
Although the problem did not start today, but the dimension it is assuming presently, calls for concern and proactive action to nip it in the bud.
The incessant clashes between farmers and herdmen has no doubt culminated in the loss of investment on both sides and lives overtime.
In addition, with this development, farming activities have come under threat owing to the menace of Fulani herdsmen, which has caused many to abandon farming. Consequently, food scarcity is imminent in the state. This ordinarily has negative impact on the economy as agriculture has become focus for diversification particularly at a time when the country is faced with economic recession.
From the foregoing, there is need for proactive actions to end the incessant farmers and herdsmen clashes in the state as it is a threat to the praceful co-existence of citizens. There is need for coherent policy to tackle the endemic problem which has escalated in parts of the country.
The traditional institutions too have a role to play in conflict resolution between herdsmen and farmers.
While commending efforts of the state government at resolving impasse between the farmers and herders, such as setting up peace and security committees in local governments, more needs to be done to put to final rest the menace. The pŕesent administration must fashion out peaceful means to end the crisis. There is a need for the government to work with the Miyetti Allah group to fish out the perpetrators of this evil, so that a whole ethnic group would not be labelled as criminals.
A cattle feed business is one area the government can look into to support a well established ranching programme. This is because it will prevent animals invading farms in want of what to eat.
More importantly there is need for herdsmen to be given orientation on how to handle conflicts. Such as reporting any case of stolen cattle to the police and not taking laws into their hands. Then, they need to be educated to appreciate and value human life and right of everyone to life and living. A human life is more important than that of a million cows.
However, one business must not interfere with another business. The herdsmen have their investment in their cattle while the farmers have theirs in produce. Therefore, in the interest of the economic development of the state and sustenance of the existing peace, the state government and stakeholders must be ready to tackle headlong the menace by finding lasting solution to the social crime. It is pertinent for the government to shore up security for herdsmen and farmers and strengthen conflict-resolution mechanisms. We shouldn’t wait until this problem escalate or assume a dangerous dimension before it is addressed.
