By: Ilesanmi I.S
(Generaliy07)

My first direct encounter with Fulani herdsmen was in late 2013, at the tail end of my service year
My PPA was an agro allied firm, understandably with interests in agriculture, providing most of its own raw materials

Earlier in the year, we had a vast area of land cultivated for corn, about 30 hectares or thereabouts, cultivating a a previously unused forest was tough to say the least, from wood felling to stumping, harrowing, ridging and the rest.

About two weeks to harvesting, the farm manager went for some random checks on the farm, only to discover, to his utter amazement, the entire farmland had been grazed!

The blossoming cornfield had given way to pungent cow dungs, the beautiful hobs had been brought down to the ground!

We raised and it was discovered that a certain "Alhaji", a fulani herdsman was responsible, he had brought his cows to graze on the blossoming corn field.

My boss was warned to resist the "temptation" of trying to locate him in the forest for questioning, according o the locals, Alhaji and his boys were always armed with guns and charms.

My boss, being the type that could not be easily intimidated, she took the matter up at the nearest police station, Alhaji was arrested after several appeals for him to appear failed, despite his arrest, he showed no remorse, little did we know he has his way with the police.

Before we got to the station the second day, money had changed hands, the men in black turned the entire story upside down, advising my boss to "let go and let God", my boss knew there was a foul play somehow, and then she decided to shelve her farmer side and show them the power side of her, as a retired federal permanent secretary.

She made calls and within an hour or two, men of the DSS were in the station, with vehicular and men support from the state CID, not only was Alhaji re arrested, the DPO learnt some bitter lessons himself.

Alhaji later paid some undisclosed amount of money (Work place rumours puts the sum around 200 thousand naira), and the issue was resolved.

The same period during my service, there were cases of villages having several meetings on how best to curb their menace, my boss only got justice because she's "connected", so many others, majority peasant farmers never got any.

As a solution,their own way, some of the villages resorted to sending them away forcefully , while others used some metaphysical means to deal with them, the Ijebu way.

Some (do not be mistaken, there are good herdsmen among them) of these Fulani herdsmen are ruthless, mean, proud and volatile. There were tales of how they robbed and terrorised motorists on the Lagos Ibadan expressway, wherever they go, they leave the locals with sorrow, tears and blood (Apologies to Fela Anikulapo)

One is forced to wonder, is there a genetic relationship between them and the animals they graze around?

The spate of killings for which they're culpable of recent has been alarming, from Agatu to the most recent, Enugu, their mode of operation is intrinsically genocidal, horrendous and barbaric, they do not appear to be regular nomads going about their businesses but some war mongers from hell

There are calls from several concerned citizens for reprisals by the people affected, an eye for an eye, there are also suggestions that every Nigerian should be allowed to own arms for self defence, according to them, the only language a violent person understands is violence.

By now, one would expect a sensitive and sensible government to have responded seriously to the killings, all we've seen heard so far is a deafening silence, and then, a certain "We are working silently" claim.

Alarming as it is, one can hardly sleep with two eyes closed nowadays, you can't possibly tell where their next target is, the sight of cattle is enough to send cold shivers down the spine, do we continue to sleep while these devil incarnate invade our land unchecked?

Do we resort to arms too? Noting that Nigeria is a nation with tribes co existing with mutual suspicion for one another under tensed situation, a situation further deepened by reactions from the last presidential election, a violent reaction in the south could lead to reprisals in the north, and counter reprisals, are we brewing another civil war? Have we forgotten 1966 so soon?

What then is the solution?

In my opinion, the federal government as a matter of urgency should declare a state of emergency on this issue, with the following steps taken to quell the menace:

1. Call for town hall meetings between host communities and the herdsmen, attended by representatives from the security forces, the Army, DSS, NPF, Civil defence and vigilante groups
The leaders of the herdsmen should be made to sign Peace deals with the host communities.

2. Laws should be made (at Federal and state levels), to protect farmers and their farmlands, such legislation that'll make cattle owners FULLY responsible for whatsoever damages their animals cause on farmlands of their host communities

3. The use of arms by herdsmen should be banned, whoever among them caught with ammunition should be made to face the full wrath of the anti-terrorism and related laws.

4. Laws should be made to also protect herdsmen who go about their business peacefully, without arms, the activities of the evil ones amongst them has raised nerves, they are prone to attacks themselves

5. Granting of grazing reserves should be done by communities willingly, NOT enforced by the federal government, alternatively, owners of cattle should be given the option of getting grazing lands on lease.

6. Any group of herdsmen found with arms should be given maximum prison terms, with their herd confiscated

7. Biometric registration/ID of herdsmen by the FG, non registered members should be fished out and banished, after a given grace period.

8. The National Orientation Agency should begin some serious sensitisation programs on peaceful coexistence on local radio stations and TVs across the land.

9. Those responsible for the recent killings should be made to face the full wrath of the law, without justice, it is literally impossible for wounds to heal, hence whatever peace moves being made in this regard will be dead on arrival.

Wisdom indeed is profitable to direct.

May the much needed peace return to our lands.


Long live the federal republic of Nigeria

Source:
Iyanuloluwa007@gmail.com

Lalasticlala
Seun
Mynd44

May Y'all and every Nairalander never fall victim

Be you Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Fulani, or wherever, let's all shun violence and stop preaching hate/violent represals on our social media platforms

God bless Nairaland

God bless Nigeria

The president's response today is commendable

My heart goes to the victims and their families

#IStandWithEnugu