PUNISHMENT

Suspected Herdsmen Kill One, Five Others Missing Police, NSCDC Outlaw Female Genital Mutilation in Ekiti

George Okoh

Barely 24 hours after the full implementation of the anti-open grazing law recently enacted by the Benue State government, suspected Fulani herdsmen yesterday killed one person, injuring one other while five persons have been declared missing in Gaambe-tiv area of Logo Local Government Area.

According to a resident of the area, Mr. Joseph Anawa, one Mr. Saater Kwaghdom, popularly known as ‘Ortse’ was shot by the marauding herders when he was going for fishing while another victim, Hingir Akaa Azemgbe, is currently responding to medical treatment from gunshot at Government Hospital Ayilamo, while other five have been declared missing.

A source revealed that the herders in their numbers have camped permanently in the hinterland, along the stretch banking river Benue, specifically at Agbesa village, otherwise called Gindin Mangoro, and are fully prepared with sophisticated weapons.

According to Anawa, they were alerted on the presence of massive arrival of strange Fulani herdsmen in Gaambe-tiev, Logo LGA. “They have moved in thousands and settled in Ukemberagya/Tswarev council ward at Zaki Hemem, Tyo-Afia, Tse Gusa, Tse Agir, Ordughga Nagwa, Tsafa, Chia Orabum and Jootar axis.

In Mbagber ward, they are also at Gov-Uwev environ while in Tombo council ward they are at Azege, Anyibe and Fanu axis, we are appealing to the authorities concern to mobilise security to these border areas to curtail further carnage by these headsmen.

He said they appreciate the Security Adviser to the Governor who gave the directive to get Ortse Kwaghdom killers.

He called on the government to deploy massive security to the area as farmers are yet to harvest their crops which are being destroyed by cattle.

The accident is coming on the heel of the November first implementation of the prohibition of open grazing in Benue State.

In his speech, the Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom, called on all citizens who are into cattle or livestock business to abide by this law. Victor Ogunje

Having been ranked second in the country in the practice of Female Genital Mutilation(FGM), Ekiti State government through security agencies have made a commitment for the arrest and prosecution of violators of the State Child’s Rights Act and Female Genital Mutilation Prohibition Law 2002.

Non-governmental organisations under the aegis of New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative(NIGAWD) and Centre for Women’s Health and Information(CFWHI), signed the pact with the men of the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) after a 2-day training workshop held in Ado Ekiti yesterday.

The workshop, funded by United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA), held the training for men and officers of the Force drawn from the 16 local government areas of the state on the adverse effects of the practice.

In her presentation, the CFWHI’s Executive Director, Mrs. Adebanke Akinrinmisi, expressed regret on the upsurge of genital mutilation practice in the south-west, in spite of laws prohibiting it.

Akinrinmisi said the training was targeted as sensitising and entering into pact with the security agencies on the need to gather information on perpetrators to stop the practice, she said had damaged the lives of over 200 million population globally.

“The security agencies are very key in the fight against this devilish practice. Though I quite appreciate the fact that the practice was an extension of the gender inequality in our society, it has to stop.

“Many lives have been damaged by it. Some have suffered haemorrhage and died, some were infected with lifetime diseases, some suffered prolonged labour and all that.

“We are imploring them to use different networks they use to gather information in all the council areas to arrest and prosecute the promoters. The practice is high in the rural areas of Ekiti.