ARG Asks S’West Governors to Stop Fulani Herdsmen Attacks

Says all nationalities must keep Nigeria united Ogun to enforce anti-land grabbing law on rampaging herdsmen

Gboyega Akinsanmi Femi Ogbonnikan The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) yesterday asked all governors in the South-west to end the rising spate of Fulani herdsmen attacks in the region, noting that their undue silence would not promote peace and security.

The ARG, a pan-Yoruba sociopolitical think-tank, emphasised the need to ensure the unity of Nigeria, though claimed that the responsibility to keep it united lied more on all nationalities that comprise Nigeria.

These were contained in a statement its National Chairman, Hon. Olawale Oshun, issued yesterday, urging all elected officials in the region “to wake up to their responsibilities. To do otherwise is to court historical and electoral disaster.”

Suspected Fulani herdsmen had on Tuesday chased out workers at the Akure South Local Government secretariat. The incident happened following a disagreement by the herdsmen and workers in the area.

The Osun State Government had last week lamented the persistent attacks by herdsmen that forced farmers in the state to abandon their farms, saying such posed threats to food security as well as security of lives, especially in rural areas.

Also in Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo States, the activities of herdsmen had at different times cost lives; wreaked havoc on farmers’ settlements and inflicted varying degrees of injury on some farmers in the states.

Disturbed by the trend of herdsmen attacks in the Southwest, yesterday, the ARG lamented that the Yoruba governors and their governments had failed to respond decisively to the menace of herdsmen attacks.

Two months ago, the group claimed that it had cause “to alert all the Yoruba governors and their governments on the need to be proactive to the Fulani herdsmen’s potential to overrun parts of the Southwest in the purported but false search for food for their cattle.

“We had in seeking that our governors pay attention to the unfolding herdsmen drama been worried by their silence, a silence that in many quarters of Yorubaland is now interpreted as self- serving and cowardly.

“Now that the birds have come home to roost with real attacks in at least three of the states, it is hoped that our governors would see the need to be prepared to prevent further unwarranted attack on our people by a terrorist group though widely disclaimed by the nationality they belong to but emboldened by the callous indifference of those who have the power to intervene.”

The ARG specifically said the citizens of Nigeria “desire a united country. It is the responsibility of all nationalities that comprise Nigeria to keep it united. While we share in that responsibility, we as Yoruba must be conscious of our responsibility to ourselves and to the country.”

It therefore, urged all elected officials – governors, senators, federal lawmakers, state lawmakers and local government chairmen – in the South-west “to wake up to their responsibilities. To do otherwise is to court historical and electoral disaster.”

The group noted that all Yoruba governors should now come together “to find a lasting solution to the marauding herdsmen. They are now causing mayhem in Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun States. We need not wait until they overrun all our territories before waking from our slumber.”

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has reiterated its commitments to address the threats posed by the frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen, which occur mostly in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state, by strengthening its anti-land grabbing law.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa, disclosed this yesterday after the security council meeting with the service chiefs in the state.

According to him, the state has sufficient provisions in the law to deal with issue of the rampaging herdsmen and land grabbers.

Adeoluwa said this was part of the decisions reached at the security council meeting which had the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga superintending, as the governor, while Senator Ibikunle Amosun, was said to be unavoidably absent.

The state House of Assembly had last year passed the anti-land grabbing law tagged ‘Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties Law, 2016’ which prescribes 25 years imprisonment for any violator and death sentence where there is loss of lives.

He said the challenges posed by the farmers and herdsmen clashes has become a real national issue and Ogun State, was not isolated from the clashes.

He, however, noted that some of the clashes have been exaggerated by the media, bordering on the realm of sensationalism.

While he appealed to media to exercise caution in their reportage of the farmers-herdsmen clashes, Adeoluwa commended the federal government for its efforts at curbing the excesses of the rampaging herdsmen.