Spurred by the divergent comments trailing the Fulani herdsmen attacks in communities across Nigeria, senators from the North, under the aegis of Northern Senators, yesterday warned governors, leaders and community heads in the country to desist from making inflammatory statements that could further overheat the polity.

This came as Defence Headquarters also, yesterday, vowed that whoever was involved in the killing of innocent Nigerians must be brought to book, in line with the laws of the land.


Rising from a meeting in Abuja, the northern senators promised that, as part of moves to nip in the bud the continued clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, the lawmakers would soon come up with new laws as well as amend existing ones to help promote the interest of Northern Nigeria in particular and the country at large.

They also warned that there would be no country called Nigeria, if other parts of the country asked Fulani herdsmen to leave their communities and states.

Reading a communique issued at the end of the meeting to journalists, Chairman, Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa West), who noted that the forum resolved to continue its support for President Muhammadu Buhari in order to bring about even development to all sections of the country, said members of the Forum shall work assiduously to enact laws and amend existing ones.


He said: “We appreciate the steps the Federal Government had taken so far to contain the problems of herdsmen/farmers clashes and call on community leaders to be careful when making statements on these ugly incidences.”

Asked whether the forum’s call on community leaders to be mindful of what they say was also applicable to governors of respective states, Senator Adamu said: “It is for all Nigerians. A governor is a community leader. The only difference is that he has a label called governor.

“If you don’t mind, in recent times, it started with the West when elder statesman, Chief Olu Falae, had some very nasty experience. It was attributed at the time to Fulani herdsmen. At the end, those people were apprehended and they were not Fulanis.

“This thing has been going on in virtually all parts of the country today. If we now say that everybody should rise and say herdsmen should leave, we will not have a country.”

It would be recalled that Northern governors were reported to have said that Fulanis were not culpable in the spate of killings in Agatu, Enugu, others.


Dealing with perpetrators

While speaking at a meeting held at Defence Headquarters between the committee set up to investigate alleged attacks and killings by herdsmen across the country and the leadership of Miyetti Allah, Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, warned that the military would no longer tolerate any excuse for armed men to unleash violence on innocent Nigerians, be it herdsmen, farmers or any other armed group of whatever guise or name.

Olonisakin, who was represented by the Director of Administration, Defence Headquarters, Major-General Fatai Ali, also disclosed that the military, in conjunction with other security agencies, would do everything possible to restore order in line with the directives of President Buhari.

Backing govs on arrest of culprits

Also yesterday, the All Progressives Congress, APC, South-East geopolitical zonal caucus, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of its governors who were in Enugu State to commiserate with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on the slaughter of 46 Ukpabi, Nimbo natives on April 25 by Fulani herdsmen.

A statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, read thus: “For us, the APC governors’ visit is the soothing balm needed most urgently at this tempestous moment of grief, despair and despondency.

“More so, ethnic merchants have quickly latched on the unfortunate recurring altercation nationwide between herdsmen pastoralists and farmers, for the ignoble objective to further promote hate, division and widen the fault lines.

“We are also enthused with the APC Governors Forum’s solemn pledge not only to join hands with the Federal Government to make sure that the perpetrators and their masterminds are fished out, but also pledge that this is the last of such heinous incident.”

Anambra North, Ayamelum communities live in fear

However, the people of Awka North and Ayamelum local government areas of Anambra State now live in fear of possible invasion of their communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen that have recently unleashed attacks on some communities in the South East.

Chairman of Awka North Local Government, Chief Cosmas Okonkwo, yesterday, in an interview with Vanguard, said the incessant attacks by the Fulani herdsmen on communities bordered by Kogi State had become a serious concern for the people who no longer sleep with their eyes closed.

Okonkwo hinted that the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, had set up a cattle menace committee, headed by the police commissioner in the state, with traditional rulers, presidents-general of town unions, leaders of Fulani communities and other security agencies in the state as members.

He said the police had been deployed to some parts of the state to ensure that there was no security lapses in the bid to protect the people from the attacks of the herdsmen.

While opposing the grazing bill, he described it as a ploy to foist Fulani herdsmen on the people of the South-South and South-East in particular.

Grazing Bill before National Assembly
—Group

Meanwhile, a civil society group, International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law, Intersociety, has insisted that a Grazing Reserve Bill was pending before the House of Representatives, contrary to claims by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, that there was no such bill before the National Assembly.

Intersociety in a statement in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday, by its chairman, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, said: “The latest of such statements credited to the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu during his recent outing in Enugu, we state strongly are deceitful, diversionary, distractive and misleading.

“We had sent our position to the National Assembly through the Senate President and the House Speaker, dated April 26, 2016, stating as follows:
“Two Bills concerning the above subject matter, originally drawn from the National Grazing Reserve (Establishment & Development) Bill 2008, introduced and sponsored by Senator Zainab Kure of Niger South Senatorial District of Niger State in the 6th National Assembly (2007-2011); are presently before the House of Reps.

“The two bills are aimed at creating grazing reserves, ranches and cattle reserves across the 36 states to be funded with public funds through the establishment of a National Grazing Reserve Commission, an agency to be placed under the direct control of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the national patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN.”

CAN goes to NHRC

In another development, Benue State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, lodged a complaint at the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, over alleged killings and wanton destruction of property in the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

While submitting a copy of the petition to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, the CAN delegation, led by its Chairman in Benue State, Rev. Augustine Akpen Leva, expressed dismay at what it described as “failure of government to curb the incessant, unwarranted killings and wanton destruction of property” in various parts of the state, allegedly perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen.

Rev Leva told the commission that “these mindless killings and invasion of the land reached its climax from 2013 and is advancing with sporadic and regular attacks here and there”.

He said: “The worst affected local government areas so far are Agatu, Makurdi (Adaka, Adeke, Adem, Upahar, Tse-Kwaghbo, Apir and Mbalagah communities). Others are Gwer-West, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Kwande and Guma (Tse-Oragbo and Tse-Anundu) and Tarka Buruku”.

CAN demanded adequate compensation from federal and state governments to assuage the feelings of the people who had been traumatized and dehumanized, following the series of attacks unleashed on them from time to time by marauding herdsmen. Besides, the association told the commission that the herdsmen were equipped with sophisticated weapons

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/enugu-attacks-northern-senators-warn-govs-leaders/

blackmatter007:
The statements we have seen so far fro. these so called northern leaders have been very very disappointing, these northerner know that fulani herdsmen have been labelled the fourth deadliest terror group, now tell me, who wants such people in their communities? And now they say there will be nothing like nigeria if we chase these fulani terrorists out of our communities, how they dare threaten the south!

Yoruba ronu! Can you see the so called one nigeria, fight for your nation! Fight for oduduwa! There is nothing like one nigeria, igbos and the old eastern region will leave you stranded, we are prepared!!!.

Musiwa419:
You did well until you last statment where you had to take a shot at the Yoruba. You should equally be worried about your own people in iboland too. Was it not just yesterday that we read a report from the Governor of Ebonyi, stating that the Fulani's are free to own the land and graze their cattle all over Ebonyi state

blackmatter007:
What they ought to have done is critisize the fulani herdsmen and condemn the killings instead they defend the terrorist and claim they are not responsible for the killings even after the fulani chiefs admitted to the killings in agatu. The idiots even went as far as threatening the south with God knows what if we chase the terrorist outta our communities, Chai! this is the highest insult. What do they take us in the south for, do they see us as fools? Their actions and reactions proves that they are in support of the killings so that they can subjugate the south inorder to carry out their evil expansionist plans.

What a bunch of liars!!!

mrvitalis:
The most foolish group of people in this country is the middle belt.... The hausas and fulani keep using them as fools and they keep fooling like the fools they are

People are killing you and u are following there brothers to kill them.... . Is it not clear that the southern Nigeria value there life more??no wonder they were salve reserve of the fulanis

MasterofNL:
I blame fulani herdsmen for the recent attacks and these are my reasons.

Firstly, the north has always believed in violence and it works for them. The north started boko haram as a major tool to take back power from the south and it worked for them. El Rufai once described boko haram as freedom fighters and Buhari himself at some point said that a fight against boko haram was a fight against the north.

The boko haram violence was a major reason why Jonathan was pushed out of office. The north threatened us with violence if they didn't get back power in 2015 and it worked for them. Today a northern fulani is in power.


Here again the fulani north is trying to annex lands in the MB and south and have come up with the proposed grazing bill. You will notice that attacks have intensified since the idea of the grazing bill came up and the reason is simple. The fulani is trying to strike fear into the hearts of othe Nigerians by killing, raping and mass destruction to make us accept the grazing bill. The idea is for other Nigerians to say "Please give them their grazing reserves so that they will stop killing us and we can have our peace."

Some southerners are aleady saying this. An example on nairaland is Searchiingforlove. This poster has said that Yorubas should collectively appologise to the fulanis and are ready to offer their lands for grazing reserves so that they can have peace. You can go through his post history and see this for yourself. Also check out one joborskills and see him promoting the proposed grazing bill. THANK GOD MOST YORUBAS HAVE REJECTED THESE ONES AND STOOD UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

The north used violence to get their sharia law when there were very terrible religious riots under Obasanjo when many Christians were killed.


The north used boko haram to take back power in 2015. It is true that boko haram existed even before Jonathan became president but they suddenly transformed into a mighty fighting force capable of ceasing territories and attacking military bases. This new boko haram is the one the north came up with to distabilise Jonathan's government. Boko haram before then were being handled by the police and we didn't hear much about them.


The north is trying to use violent herdsmen attacks to establish grazing reserves all over Nigeria and they have their eyes on the MB and southern lands,

Directly or indirectly, the fulanis are responsible for these armed attacks agianst the MB and south. The attacks may not be carried out by local traditional herdsmen but one thing I have discovered is that once they have any issues with any community concerning their cattle, they invite their armed brothers from Fouta Jalon who invade and sack the community.

The big question is will violence work for the core north yet again? Time will tell.

MasterofNL:
I blame fulani herdsmen for the recent attacks and these are my reasons.

Firstly, the north has always believed in violence and it works for them. The north started boko haram as a major tool to take back power from the south and it worked for them. El Rufai once described boko haram as freedom fighters and Buhari himself at some point said that a fight against boko haram was a fight against the north.

The boko haram violence was a major reason why Jonathan was pushed out of office. The north threatened us with violence if they didn't get back power in 2015 and it worked for them. Today a northern fulani is in power.


Here again the fulani north is trying to annex lands in the MB and south and have come up with the proposed grazing bill. You will notice that attacks have intensified since the idea of the grazing bill came up and the reason is simple. The fulani is trying to strike fear into the hearts of othe Nigerians by killing, raping and mass destruction to make us accept the grazing bill. The idea is for other Nigerians to say "Please give them their grazing reserves so that they will stop killing us and we can have our peace."

Some southerners are aleady saying this. An example on nairaland is Searchiingforlove. This poster has said that Yorubas should collectively appologise to the fulanis and are ready to offer their lands for grazing reserves so that they can have peace. You can go through his post history and see this for yourself. Also check out one joborskills and see him promoting the proposed grazing bill. THANK GOD MOST YORUBAS HAVE REJECTED THESE ONES AND STOOD UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

The north used violence to get their sharia law when there were very terrible religious riots under Obasanjo when many Christians were killed.


The north used boko haram to take back power in 2015. It is true that boko haram existed even before Jonathan became president but they suddenly transformed into a mighty fighting force capable of ceasing territories and attacking military bases. This new boko haram is the one the north came up with to distabilise Jonathan's government. Boko haram before then were being handled by the police and we didn't hear much about them.


The north is trying to use violent herdsmen attacks to establish grazing reserves all over Nigeria and they have their eyes on the MB and southern lands,

Directly or indirectly, the fulanis are responsible for these armed attacks agianst the MB and south. The attacks may not be carried out by local traditional herdsmen but one thing I have discovered is that once they have any issues with any community concerning their cattle, they invite their armed brothers from Fouta Jalon who invade and sack the community.

The big question is will violence work for the core north yet again? Time will tell.

BeardedMeat:
Your submissions negate the content of your signature. What do you really stand for?

mrvitalis:

My signature is a dream of Nigeria. ... a completely free nation....
But the truth must be told.. . Am rational bro
There is a difference between what I wish for to what I can get

BeardedMeat:
To answer your question, yes it will work for them again and again due to their homogeneous nature. The south can never speak with one voice because they have constituted themselves into little little presure groups to be selected and used by the north to achieve whatever aim they have in mind at any given time. Once a portion of the south is invited to come and chop by the north, it abandons whatever quest and agitation it hither espoused as a way forward for the common good, but once the opportunity ends, it goes back to its former position. And the next time, the strong north would look for another ally and it goes on and onwe have gone past the stage of asking the south to unite against a domineering north because it will never happen.
The solution to end the deepning ethnic mutual suspicion and its attendant retarded economic maturity is to go back to true fiscal federalism where the federating zones will be the architect of their own destinies.

They also warned that there would be no country called Nigeria, if other parts of the country asked Fulani herdsmen to leave their communities and states.

MasterofNL:
I blame fulani herdsmen for the recent attacks and these are my reasons.

Firstly, the north has always believed in violence and it works for them. The north started boko haram as a major tool to take back power from the south and it worked for them. El Rufai once described boko haram as freedom fighters and Buhari himself at some point said that a fight against boko haram was a fight against the north.

The boko haram violence was a major reason why Jonathan was pushed out of office. The north threatened us with violence if they didn't get back power in 2015 and it worked for them. Today a northern fulani is in power.


Here again the fulani north is trying to annex lands in the MB and south and have come up with the proposed grazing bill. You will notice that attacks have intensified since the idea of the grazing bill came up and the reason is simple. The fulani is trying to strike fear into the hearts of othe Nigerians by killing, raping and mass destruction to make us accept the grazing bill. The idea is for other Nigerians to say "Please give them their grazing reserves so that they will stop killing us and we can have our peace."

Some southerners are aleady saying this. An example on nairaland is Searchiingforlove. This poster has said that Yorubas should collectively appologise to the fulanis and are ready to offer their lands for grazing reserves so that they can have peace. You can go through his post history and see this for yourself. Also check out one joborskills and see him promoting the proposed grazing bill. THANK GOD MOST YORUBAS HAVE REJECTED THESE ONES AND STOOD UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

The north used violence to get their sharia law when there were very terrible religious riots under Obasanjo when many Christians were killed.


The north used boko haram to take back power in 2015. It is true that boko haram existed even before Jonathan became president but they suddenly transformed into a mighty fighting force capable of ceasing territories and attacking military bases. This new boko haram is the one the north came up with to distabilise Jonathan's government. Boko haram before then were being handled by the police and we didn't hear much about them.


The north is trying to use violent herdsmen attacks to establish grazing reserves all over Nigeria and they have their eyes on the MB and southern lands,

Directly or indirectly, the fulanis are responsible for these armed attacks agianst the MB and south. The attacks may not be carried out by local traditional herdsmen but one thing I have discovered is that once they have any issues with any community concerning their cattle, they invite their armed brothers from Fouta Jalon who invade and sack the community.

The big question is will violence work for the core north yet again? Time will tell.