PERPETRATIONS ON THE FULANI HERDSMEN ATTACKS AND THE PANACEA
The place of agriculture in Nigeria can in no way be underestimated and it has proven itself to be a formidable source of earning livelihood, even to the extent that our forefathers paid their unfettered homage to it, considering how it has boosted the country's economic status, particularly immediately after the independence from the Great Britain in the early 1960's and there's no way in Nigeria of today, to discuss states with high level of agricultural produce without giving credence to Benue State. In the same vein, it is a universally acknowledged fact known to all and sundry within the borders of Nigeria that the country has been battling quite for a long time has been battling with Fulani herdsmen, who wrecked and still continue to wreck havoc to their host communities, particularly the locals, whose place of earning livelihood is basically farming.
The kerfuffle of the herdsmen is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of political and socio-economic development of our dear country, Nigeria. The activities of the terrorist-like herdsmen have unfortunately transcended to the Eastern part of the country, with states like Enugu, Delta among others.
However, it should be taken into cognizance that the intensity and "impacts" of the attacks are mostly felt in Benue State and this has almost turn the "Food Basket of the Nation" into a war-ridden zone and can be likened to the war-torn Aleppo in Syria.
Going down memory lane, the activities of the herdsmen can be trailed as far back to 2007, when Gabriel Suswam was still the governor of the state.
Hence, a great number of casualties have been recorded and it is quite appalling and heartbreaking that the barbarianism still lingers on. Not until recent years, the herdsmen have been known to inflict mayhem in some communities in Benue State, but of a recent, the rate at which these heinous crimes are being committed have been exponentially alarming.
Statistics provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace has proven it that, 1,229 people were killed in 2014 alone up from 63 in 2013 and the centre of target continues to be Benue State.
The mystery attached to the tempestousness of the perpetrators also makes it very difficult if not impossible for us to explain the real intents and purposes of the herdsmen. It is believed by some quarters simply to be a farming, grazing land and water dispute, which results in violence with farmers who indict them of damaging their crops and failures to control their cattle. But, it has also been brought to the sphere of attention in Nigeria that the herdsmen claimed to graze their livestocks and at the same time armed in a bid to stand against cattle rustlers, who particularly and according to them always lay ambush for them in Enugu State.
According to the Interim National Secretary of the _Gan Allah Fulani Association_ , the bedevelling of the attacks is "a reprisal attack by his people, meant to revenge the killing of a prominent Fulani man".
In view of the foregoing, what then and why is the fundamental purpose of what this militant group demands, the cost of their action and seek a proper way forward to curb their attack.
According to the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, these Fulani militants are the fourth deadliest militant group in the world with a record killing of 1229 people in 2014.
Before delving into the panacea to the gruesome happenings, it is exigent and apposite to know how great the havocs that have been wrecked.
According to Mercy Corps, the incessant attacks have drastic effects on food security and have caused a loss of $14 billion in three years. The Global Humanitarian Organization, funded by the British Department for International Development, carried out a research between 2013 and 2016 and the study pointed out the causes and effects of the perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria has gone kilometers ahead by thwarting the country's economic development.
Not only this, states affected by herdsmen-farmers conflicts lost to an average of 47 percent of taxes (Internally Generated Revenue) during these attacks.
Above all, loss of lives and properties, reduction in crop yield, destruction of public and private buildings, impeding trade practices, to mention but few.
A question that needs to be proferred answer to by all is that - "Why is still little or better still no change, despite of frequent deployment of surveillance teams to Benue State?
Dated back to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's era to the immediate past president of the country, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, we have been experiencing deployment of surveillance teams consisting of the members of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Air officers and other paramilitary bodies, coupled with sophisticated weapons. But it is disheartening that the situation seems like from frying pan to fire and at this juncture, I deem it fit to refer us to the Yoruba jurisprudence that "kaka ki o de lara ewe agbon, nise lo tun n le si", literally meaning that "instead of the coconut leaves to get succulent, it rather becomes impenetrable"
My dear reader, what is the essence of the law enforcement agency deployed to an area to curb some menace, without bringing the culprits to books or any of the victims compensated for the loss suffered?
At this juncture, I deem it fit to introduce the panacea. The mess would have been cleared up if not for the politicisation of legal regimes and the blockades to the enactment of or implementation of laws that will be beneficial to the instant case.
In 2016, a legislation was proposed - "A Bill For An Act To Establish Grazing Reserve In Each Of The States Of The Federation Nigeria To Improve Agricultural Yield From Livestock Farming And Curb Incessant Conflicts Between Farmers And Crop Farmers In Nigeria" but was eventually thrown out into the "bin". If this bill has been enacted into law, a lot of crooked paths would have been straightened up and this medium is also used to blow the trumpet of clarion call to the National Assembly, that there are some bills swept under the carpet but need to be refurnished and eventually enacted.
Also, a new policy framework on the crisis should be developed and must be comprehensive as well as mutually beneficial to the two warring parties. An inter-ministerial committee should be constituted with experts and a stakeholder membership to draw up the framework. Via this, "The 1965 Grazing Reserve Law" can be revived based on Section 315 of the 1999 Constitution in the 19 northern states.
Conclusively, if all these measures are put in place stricto sensu, things will become better because the Nigerian livestock industry is largely dependent on natural vegetation but the presidential visit to the affected state(s) is nothing but a toothless bulldog.
JOLAOSO MOSES ADEBARE
A 300level Student of Law at Obafemi Awolowo University
Ile-ife, Nigeria