Few days ago, the nation was thrown into mourning as news filtered in of the greusome murders of villagers in three local government of Pleatue state by suspected Fulani Herdsmen and reprisal attacks by irate youths.

It is unfortunate and deeply regretable that at this stage of our existence, barbaric acts like this still happens, but it is high time we leave emotions aside and start facing reality.

For us to have Peace, we need to know and understand the root and immediate cause of this conflicts.

Permit me to digress.

On the 1st of January this year, Christians coming back from a new year Eve program were killed by DonWanny and his boys who had long orchestrated a reign of terror in the omoku asix of Rivers state. As someone who witnessed the beginning to end of DonWannys rise and fall, I will authoritatively say the same thing is playing out in this Fulani Herdsmen/Farmers clash with the help of the media and religious bodies.

The problem in Omoku had mostly been between rival cult groups till political motivated sponsorship entered.
People who know DonWanny knew he was once declared wanted and shortly after he was granted amnesty and was alleged to have been made the Chief Security officer of Omoku, this act infuriated rival cult members who argued that for true peace to return to Omoku, there should be equity in handling of the deeply sensitive matter,
Those whose people had been killed by DonWanny and his gangs were not consulted neither were they compensated, this generated a lot of Bad blood and young family members of the deceased started seeking vengeance by joining rival cults.

When the bloodshed had become too much, the Onelga security Peace and reconciliation committee OSPAC was formed, which has since been coordinating the internal security of the area with a positive level of success.

The idea behind this narrative is to show that once a certain faction of a warring group is given undue consideration, then peace is a distant reality.

The Herdsmen/farmers clash has been an age long conflict, unfortunately it has taken a Political/Religious dimension and is being fueled by greedy elements who wish to make material gain especially those in the media.

This days the media has taken joy in being biased and sensational in news coverage, only being interested in click bait and potential returns on advertising slots.

The media rarely reports when a Fulani herdsman is killed, because most times they are seen as subhuman and equivalent to the cows they rear, but would see nothing wrong in reporting, inflating and twisting stories when same fulanis retaliate. Now every criminal activity is being labelled to Fulani Herdsmen without anyone caring to check whether it is true or not, a heavy biased mentality is being built around fulanis in general because of some bad ones among them without considering that every tribe has criminals among them.
A lot of people see it as normal to look down on Herdsmen, abuse them and molest them, kill them and take it for granted, yet turn back and wail loudest when there is a retaliation of greater magnitude.

While I condemn, any killing whatsoever be it retaliatory or whatsoever, so far it is extrajudicial. I also agree but is human nature to seek revenge.

The question now is does the middle belt really want peace .

For Peace to materialize, the truth needs to first come out, both sides need to be heard fairly, when everyone is making biased judgements, there will be no peace.

Both sides needs to admit to wrong doings , seek forgiveness, give forgiveness and accept forgiveness. As far as one side is constantly being seen as the villian, and a side keeps playing victim, we will have no head way.

Political parties needs to stop using this as political tools and religious bodies need to stop aggravating issues as there is no hidden religious agenda and can never be.

This issue needs to be handled as a criminal and ethnic issue, not as a political or religious issue.

Also an appeal needs to be made to everyone to be more security conscious and security bodies need to change their approach of tackling this issues.

The federal government also needs to fully enforce universally acceptable grazing laws, irrespective of whose ox is gored.

It is high time an end is put to free ranching, cow rearing is a business and like all businesses, there should be policies guarding and guiding it

Lalasticlala Mynd44



Kyase

Proudlyngwa:
While I condemn, any killing whatsoever be it retaliatory or whatsoever, so far it is extrajudicial. I also agree but is human nature to seek revenge.

The question now is does the middle belt really want peace .

For Peace to materialize, the truth needs to first come out, both sides need to be heard fairly, when everyone is making biased judgements, there will be no peace.

Both sides needs to admit to wrong doings , seek forgiveness, give forgiveness and accept forgiveness. As far as one side is constantly being seen as the villian, and a side keeps playing victim, we will have no head way.

Political parties needs to stop using this as political tools and religious bodies need to stop aggravating issues as there is no hidden religious agenda and can never be.

This issue needs to be handled as a criminal and ethnic issue, not as a political or religious issue.

Also an appeal needs to be made to everyone to be more security conscious and security bodies need to change their approach of tackling this issues.

The federal government also needs to fully enforce universally acceptable grazing laws, irrespective of whose ox is gored.

It is high time an end is put to free ranching, cow rearing is a business and like all businesses, there should be policies guarding and guiding it

Lalasticlala Mynd44



Kyase

God bless you for this, the truth is there, but no one wants to see it, that been said, the herdsmen should stop killing people over cows, in fact the Miyetti Allah leadership should be arrested all over middle belt(Benue/plateau) and also the farmers should stop attacking/killing the their cattle for meat( I know what I'm saying), the elders from both sides are aware on how this crises originated, they should come together and find a lasting peace or someone has to leave......

[s]

Kyase:

God bless you for this, the truth is there, but no one wants to see it, that been said, the herdsmen should stop killing people over cows, in fact the Miyetti Allah leadership should be arrested all over middle belt(Benue/plateau) and also the farmers should stop attacking/killing the their cattle for meat( I know what I'm saying), the elders from both sides are aware on how this crises originated, they should come together and find a lasting peace or someone has to leave......

[/s]
shatap there and get out
you're talking Nonsense

Olanipereku:
[s][/s]
shatap there and get out
you're talking Nonsense

If you don't know what to say would you shssss?

[s]

Kyase:

If you don't know what to say would you shssss?

[/s]
trash trash trash
stop talking Nonsense

Kyase:

God bless you for this, the truth is there, but no one wants to see it, that been said, the herdsmen should stop killing people over cows, in fact the Miyetti Allah leadership should be arrested all over middle belt(Benue/plateau) and also the farmers should stop attacking/killing the their cattle for meat( I know what I'm saying), the elders from both sides are aware on how this crises originated, they should come together and find a lasting peace or someone has to leave......

I agree with you, especially on the issue of miyeti Allah, for him to give such reply, means he had pre information of such events and should be investigated and prosecuted.
But it is also high time the media stops being partial as well as political parties stop using death for political gains.

Proudlyngwa:

I agree with you, especially on the issue of miyeti Allah, for him to give such reply, means he had pre information of such events and should be investigated and prosecuted.
But it is also high time the media stops being partial as well as political parties stop using death for political gains.

True, here in Nigeria every politician thinking is all about election, that's why we don't have proper foundation, now Buhari is trying to change the norm but he's been attacked left and right. And for he media, to me we political tools not media.... Their biase is out of this world...

[s]

Kyase:

True, here in Nigeria every politician thinking is all about election, that's why we don't have proper foundation, now Buhari is trying to change the norm but he's been attacked left and right. And for he media, to me we political tools not media.... Their biase is out of this world...

[/s]
shatap there and get out
you don't know anything