TheNewsGuru

Tag: Herdsmen

  • Taraba to rehabilitate 19,000 victims of Katibu herdsmen attacks

    Taraba Deputy Governor, Alhaji Haruna Manu, said on Sunday that the state government would rehabilitate the over 19,000 victims of the recent violent attacks, allegedly carried out by herdsmen in Katibu, Lau Local Government Area of the state.

    Manu announced this at Shawuya Primary School, Jalingo, where some of the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) were camped.

    He directed the council chairman, Mr Hassan Waniyafiwani, to liaise with the camp authorities to draw up a list of all the essential needs of the IDPs and submit same to government for action.

    The deputy governor also directed the immediate distribution of food items earlier provided by the state to the IDPs at Shawuya Primary School camp and other camps in the area.

    Manu said government was doing everything possible to ensure that adequate security was put in place at Katibu so that the victims would feel safe and return to their homes.

    He, however, said no amount of support by government would end violent attacks and clashes in the state if people failed to live in peace with one another.

    “ You must learn to tolerate one another and live in peace, because nobody will send away his perceived enemy since we are all natives.

    “ It was exactly seven months since I visited Lau over similar crises, and I was assured by various communities that there will be no more violence in the area.

    “ There are countries that have a population of over 100 million, but do not have the land mass of Taraba, yet they are living in peace. Why can’t we have peace?”

    Earlier, the Camp Coordinator, Dauda Godin, said the Jan. 7 attacks had displaced over 19,000 persons, no taking refuge in various IDPs camps.

    He said many of the IDPs were suffering from serious psychological trauma, caused by the loss of their loved ones and property.

    Godin noted that the poor sanitary conditions on the camp called for an urgent need to avert possible outbreak of diseases, adding that the IDPs were sleeping on bare floor.

     

  • Herdsmen killings: Nigerians in London to protest against govt’s inaction tomorrow

    Concerned Nigerians who reside in London are prepared to embark on a massive protest against the inaction of the Nigerian government over the incessant killings of Nigerians by the deadly Fulani herdsmen group.

    In a statement circulated in the social media, the protest is said to take place tomorrow [Monday] at between 09:00 to 14:30 at the Trafalgar Square, Nigeria High Commission, 10 Downing Street and Parliament Building.

    The convener of the protest stated that a Police permit has been granted to them by the Metropolitan Police and also confirmed that the British Prime Minister’s Office have agreed to receive our petition for the British Govt.

    The statement partly reads, “We must not fold our hands and allow these evil group to destroy the peace, progress and unity of our country. The Owners of these Cows and those arming them will be named and shamed.

    “The Nigerian executive body has failed us. The Nigerian legislatures have failed us. These are all bodies we elect to defend and protect us. Our only option is to cry to the international communities to help us. Please …pass this on to people you know in London to come out and help us cry.”

  • Herdsmen/farmers’ clashes: States to commence cattle colonies next week – FG

    The Federal Government says work will commence next week on cattle colonies in states that has indicated interest to establish them.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, disclosed this on Friday during a visit to the Agriculture and Veterinary Complex of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    Ogbeh said that the National Economic Council on Thursday set up a 10-member committee comprising the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as Chairman and nine governors to facilitate the commencement of the cattle colonies in interested states.

    “We are happy that we are making progress in agriculture now.

    “One of the most topical issues we have today is that of farmers and herdsmen clashes.

    “If we do not deal with it quickly, we run the risk of damaging the harmony and the co-existence of Nigeria as a country. The killings are getting too many.

    “In our attempt to solve the problem, we have proffered certain solutions but perhaps we were not sensitive enough to Nigeria’s fragile sensitivities and suspicions.

    “When we spoke of colonies, we were immediately greeted with reactions that this was an attempt to cease Nigeria’s land and give to the Fulanis to colonise.

    “The intention is not for Fulanis or anyone to colonise any territory. It is to provide a haven for cattle to graze in peace under controlled environments to prevent the conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.

    “Only yesterday, a committee was set up by the Vice President with members, most of them, state governors discussing this matter and resolving that states that are interested will begin work on this matter as soon as next week.’’

    The minister said that the Federal Government would engage the services of the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) to assist in the production of fodder for cattle.

    According to him, open grazing is posing serious challenges and it is not too efficient for the cattle.

    Ogbeh described open grazing as a `torture’ to cattle which usually do not enjoy long distance walks.

    “It doesn’t allow us to harvest milk; the cows are not well fed. What is going on is almost torture to animals.

    “If we can create a new environment for cattle, give them what they need, protect them from rustlers, the herdsmen will quickly discover that they are making far more money than what they are doing now,’’ Ogbe said.

    Earlier, the Director of NAPRI, Prof. Clarence Lakpini, said pastoralists in the country had no fewer than 19.7 million cattle and 113.8 million sheep and goats which were currently grazing.

    “We have a population of about 19.7 million cattle and total of 113.8 million sheep and goats. These are animals that graze and 90 per cent of these are owned by the pastoralists.

    “These animals contribute a lot to the GDP of Nigeria. In fact, in the agricultural sector, it contributes 30 per cent of the National Agricultural GDP and of the National GDP, 3.2 per cent.’’

    Lakpini also said that NAPRI had gone into partnership with various animal stakeholders to resolve the conflict between farmers and herdsmen across the country.

     

  • ‘Herdsmen have no right to kill, govt must stop their violence’ says Tinubu

    ‘Herdsmen have no right to kill, govt must stop their violence’ says Tinubu

    Former Lagos state Governor, Bola Tinubu, yesterday condemned the nationwide killings perpetrated by herdsmen, stressing that herders have no right to kill, while urging government to put an end to the violence.

    He added that nomadic way of life is fast becoming obsolete.

    Tinubu, in a paper he delivered at the Daily Trust dialogue, urged government to establish a relief and rehabilitation program for families and communities that have been so grievously harmed.

    Represented by a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Olawale Edun, Tinubu specifically lamented the “terrible killings” that have occurred in Benue and Taraba states.

    He said “It is important that we place the current crisis in proper context. No one should pretend that this evil just suddenly appeared from nowhere. We have been living and dying with this lethal situation for many years.

    In years past, there have been herdsmen attacks smaller than this. There also have been attacks larger than this.

    The current hue and cry against these killings is hopefully a sign that we are maturing as a nation. That we shall no longer countenance the wanton destruction of human lives no matter the religion, ethnicity or origin of the victims or the villains. If so, maybe this nation is coming of age and none too soon.

    As such, this outcry is as welcome as it is overdue. We should have been agitating in this manner 5, 10, 15 years ago. Lives would have been saved. For reasons I cannot completely fathom we have come late to the point of strong, collective outrage at this bloodletting. Yet, all in all, late is better than never in this regard.

    This spirit of compassion and care must be enshrined in our political culture because it is integral to national greatness and democratic progress. True patriotism requires that you love more than the concept of Nigeria. You must love the people who comprise this nation, whether they worship in a church, mosque, and shrine or not at all.

    Over the course of history, nations have faced crises more crimson than this. Through wise policy, many nations emerged from the thicket better situated to realize their better destiny.

    These nations and their people are no better than us. We can and we must do the same thing.

    Against this backdrop we must take prudent action. It is incumbent on the federal government to do what past governments neglected to do. We must forget our age-old prejudices in order to resolve this problem. What we need is serious committed action.

    At its essence, this crisis was not born of religious or ethnic hatred. It is about a shrinking amount of grass and water.

    In recent years the desert has expanded, consuming land once used to graze livestock. This pushed cattle herders farther and farther south to collide with the farmers who were there.

    Ecological peril spawned economic conflict which descended into violence.

    This violence has taken on religious, ethnic and regional consequences because of the identities of the parties involved. This tragic episode tolls a caution to us all.

    Left to fester, this problem expanded to assume dimensions that now tremors the body politic.

    This is what too often happens when dire problems are left unattended. Now, the current administration is moving to arrest the lethal situation.

    I welcome the deployment of more law enforcement and military into the troubled areasThese security measures will stem the immediate violence and loss of life.

    As we commend these security measures, we must not lose sight of the fact that the problem bears an economic origin. Thus, agro-economic policy initiatives must help shape the lasting solution.

    The crux of the matter is that the nomadic way of life is fast becoming obsolete. Large scale nomadic practice does not belong in this day and age. This is reality and it is inescapable.

    Thus, herders have no right to cling to this way of life by killing others. Government must stop their violence but also offer them a viable new way of life by moving them toward more modern, non-nomadic cattle rearing.

    To resolve this lethal problem, government must implement a multi-dimensional policy that encompasses security, agro-economic, educational and emergency relief elements. This is the art and mastery of governance that our nation and its complex problems require.

    In addition to mending this rupture of peace, I believe those who seek to enshrine good governance must boldly act to improve the quality of life of the people.”

  • Sultan tongue-lashes those demanding Fulani herdsmen be labelled terrorist group

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, condemned those calling for proscription of Fulani herdsmen group, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria [MACBAN], despite the series of attacks launched against communities in different parts of the country.

    He also absolved MACBAN, of any culpability in the recent killings of farmers in some parts of the country by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    Speaking at the General Assembly of Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, IDFP, in Abuja, Sultan Abubakar III, however, expressed shock that the federal government and security agencies had done nothing about herdsmen bearing arms in the country, despite the series of attacks they had launched against communities in different parts of the country.

    He asked: “How is it possible for Fulani to attack settlements or communities to carry out killings of innocent people, destroy property and disappear without trace? Sultan Abubakar said Miyetti Allah was formed over 32 years ago to cater for the welfare and advance the growth of Fulani business.

    He said that any Fulani man carrying arms and ammunition was not a member of the Miyetti Allah, explaining that the group which is now under his leadership as Grand Patron, was never a criminal group.

    Miyetti Allah not criminal group Sultan Abubakar, who berated those calling for proscription of the group, challenged them to as well call for proscription of other Socio-ethnic organisations such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Arewa Consultative Forum, among others.

    He said: “Miyetti Allah doesn’t control any Fulani man. Calling for proscription of Miyetti Allah is equivalent to calling for the proscription of other ethnic organisations like Afenifere, ACF, Ohanaeze and others. “It was formed 32 years ago and these crises were not there.

    I am the patron and we have never asked Fulani herdsman to kill anybody. “Any Fulani man caught killing is a criminal and should be treated as such. What are the security agencies doing? If they have failed, they should accept that they have failed. “What is going on is not an ethnic problem; it’s not a religious problem, it’s an economic problem.” On the way out, the Sultan, who advocated dialogue, said: “What we need is to sit down and dialogue.

    As religious leaders, we have to be very careful what we say, because it carries weight; our followers listen to us very seriously. “We must believe in one another, trust and love ourselves because that is what our two major religions advocate. We must continue to speak with one voice. We should not be labeling everybody a criminal because his brother is a criminal. “People are saying, label Miyetti Allah a terrorist group. No, we are not terrorists and can’t join terrorism.”

    On the situation in Benue State, he recalled: “This thing didn’t start today. In the past eight years, I have been to Benue many times to discuss this issue. “We had met for hours and reached agreements, yet nothing has been implemented. Why? The former governors of Benue are still alive and they know all these.

    “Even the present governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, had written to me to come again with my peace mission, but we had not had the opportunity before this round of crisis. “We must come to the bottom of this issue.

    Meanwhile, the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, holds a contrary view to the Sultan.

    Ayokunle on his side accused some religious leaders of being insincere while commenting on the issue of killing of innocent people in the country.

    Ayokunle, who was represented by the Bishop of Yola, Bishop Stephen Manza, said: ‘’As religious leaders, we need to condemn evil in this country. We’re seated here today as religious leaders, but how sincere are we in what we say?

    “Christians at all levels believe in peace. This is time for us to speak with one voice. But my concern is whether we are sincere in what we are doing.

    “We religious leaders, we deceive people a lot. We say one thing when we have another thing in mind. Our tribal and religious affiliations have overshadowed our Nigerianness.

    “The problem is that we keep mute once a person is killed if he is not a member of our faith. Another thing is that we identify with people of our faith, even when the person is doing the wrong thing. We all know that President Muhammadu Buhari is not handling the security situation in the country well but certain persons are not talking, may be because he is a Muslim. And when Jonathan was there, some Christian leaders kept quiet because he’s a Christian.”

    On his part, the Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Dioceses, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, however, assured Nigerians that the problem of insecurity threatening the soul of the nation was surmountable if Nigerians build trust among themselves.

    He said: “Nothing happening in this country now that is beyond us, it is within our hands. But just like the Bishop of Yola has said, we need sincerity.

    “We shouldn’t be praying for peace, when in the real sense, we are the ones causing crises everywhere. Talking for peace will give peace if there is truth. So, we must learn to build trust, trusting one another. We must join hands to do what is right.”

  • 2019: Politicians using herdsmen/farmers clashes for selfish gains, says Miyetti Allah I TNGtv

  • Farmers/herdsmen clashes: Osinbajo, nine governors form committee to tackle menace

    As part of deliberate attempts to end the farmers/herdsmen incessant clashes that have cost several lose of lives and properties across the country, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and nine state governors have constituted a committee with the mandate to end the killings.

    The Vice President is chairman of the committee.

    This was one of the decisions reached at a meeting of the National Economic Council held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.

    The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over Osinbajo.

    Ganduje named members of the committee to include governors of Kaduna, Zamfara, Taraba, Benue, Adamawa, Edo, Plateau, Oyo, and Ebonyi states.

    The governor said the committee would collaborate with the Federal Government in addressing impunity regarding killings and violence.

     

    Details later…

     

  • 2019: Politicians using herdsmen/farmers’ clashes for selfish gains – Miyetti Allah

    The National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural Association, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Badejo on Wednesday in Kano said politicians are using the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country for their selfish gains ahead of the 2019 elections.

    Badejo, who spoke to reporters in Kano, said the worrisome trend, over the rampant killings has now taken a frightening dimension in which the politicians are cashing in on to create a division in the minds of the people by branding the Fulani herdsmen as ‘killers’.

    According to him: ”politicians are interfering in the Fulani herdsmen/ farmers crisis. They are trying to create a division, as well as divide the minds of the people. Politicians are punishing farmers, including Fulani cattle herdsmen because they want to use the face-off as a basis for 2019 politics.”

    The national president of the association insisted that the Fulanis arepeace-lovingg people, who have a unique identity, different from other races, so for people to now label Fulani, of carrying AK 47 Assault rifles to kill is totally false, insisting that Fulani worldwide are only engaged in cattle rearing and nothing else.

    ”They plan to create 5,000 hectares of land to be used as cattle colonies in some states. It is a welcome idea, but if the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom had agreed to create the proposed cattle colonies, rather than the grazing law he enacted, it would not have degenerated the current controversy but address the face-off.

    ”But this Ortom’s law is by no means favourable to the Fulani, that is why are vehemently opposed to it. So, the proposed colony will serve as an enduring solution to the lingering Fulani herdsmen/farmers crisis. And as such, we are in support of the Federal Government’s agenda to create the colonies.”

    The Miyetti Allah boss, therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to seize the opportunity of his relocation to Benue State to establish the truth, as to who is attacking who and at the close of the day, prosecute, whoever is found guilty, insisting that the Fulani have been and are still peace-loving people.

    However, he dismissed as false, insinuations that the Federal Government is grabbing the land to hand it over to the Fulani, saying: ”Only desperate politicians are opposed to the creation of cattle colonies for Fulani herdsmen. These issues have been politicized.”

    In addition, he stated that anyone armed with AK 47 Assault rifle cannot be rearing cows, adding that such a person must be an armed robber from somewhere, disguising as a Fulani Herdsman and carrying weapons, as well as wearing Fulani attire to deceive the public.

    To this end, he said he is surprised about the rampant attacks occurring between farmers, communities and Fulani cattle herdsmen in Plateau and adjoining states, adding that if any Fulani man invades somebody’s farm and steal, let the Fulani man be arrested and called to order rather than not only politicizing it but blowing it out of proportion.

  • Benue massacre: Seek justice and reparation for victims of attacks by herdsmen, SERAP tells Buhari

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that “any efforts by his government to prevent and combat attacks by herdsmen across the country is grounded in the rights of victims of unlawful killings and their families. It’s important to ensure that any policy to tackle the problem is not used as a ploy to undercut the possibilities of meaningful justice and reparation for victims and their families.”

    The National Assembly yesterday condemned the killings in Benue and other parts of the country, and called on the Federal Government to take decisive action against those behind the killings.

    In a statement today signed by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale the organization said, “So far attempts by the government to address the persistent attacks by herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa states and other parts of the country has overlooked the plight of the victims and their families. But it has to be made clear that victims of attacks apparently by herdsmen are entitled to effective remedies regardless of whether they bring their claims against the government in an individual or collective capacity.”

    The organization said, “It is an imperative demand of justice that the responsibility of the perpetrators of the unlawful killings and destruction of property be clearly established and the rights of the victims and their families sustained to the fullest possible extent. Establishing a trust fund for victims of attacks by herdsmen will be an important first step towards justice for victims and their families.”

    According to the organization, “Victims’ right to an effective remedy and reparation is a legally enforceable human right and not a matter of charity. It is no coincidence that the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and human rights instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party refer to victims’ right to effective remedies, including access to justice, reparation and guarantee of non-repetition.”

    “As the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, SERAP believes that Buhari is in a powerful position to end the unlawful killings and destruction of property apparently by herdsmen across the country if he really wants to do so. Buhari needs to speak directly to Nigerians and particularly to the countless victims and their families.”

    “Continuing refusal of Buhari to speak directly to Nigerians on the matter and visit the states such as Benue, Taraba and Adamawa, that have been most affected by these attacks by herdsmen is feeding into the propaganda that this government may be shielding suspected perpetrators from justice and, more importantly, undermines the rule of law and facilitates continuing attacks.”

    “Under international law, a victim is defined as anyone who suffers individual or collective harm (or pain) such as physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss, or generally any impairment of human rights as a result of acts or omissions that constitute gross violations of human rights, or serious violations of humanitarian law norms.”

    “A victim does not necessarily have to be the person that has suffered the harm, as a dependent or a member of the immediate family or household of the person that has directly suffered harm can indirectly be characterised as a victim.”

    “Indeed, the Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power provides some guarantees for victims (including family members of direct victims), such as those that suffer ‘substantial impairment of their fundamental rights’ through acts or omissions of governments.”

  • BREAKING: Six dead as herdsmen strike again in Benue

    There was pandemonium in Benue State on Wednesday as some suspected Fulani herdsmen struck again in another set of renewed attacks on communities in Logo, Guma and Okpokwu Local Government Areas of state killing six people.

    Governor Samuel Ortom confirmed the attacks on Wednesday at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital.

    He made the disclosure when he received a former military administrator of the state, Brigadier General Dominic Oneya (rtd), who led a delegation on a condolence visit to the governor.

    Governor Ortom said two women were reported killed in Guma LGA and two persons in Logo on Tuesday, stressing that pockets of killings were still going on.

    The state was thrown into another round of mourning on Wednesday as he confirmed another set of killings by suspected herdsmen in Odidi and Ojokpailo in Okpokwu LGA.

    The Governor reiterated his call on security agencies to arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore whom he alleged were still issuing threats of resisting implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in the state.

    He thanked General Oneya for identifying with people of the state in their trying moment, stressing that it was a demonstration of a true friend.

    Ortom, however, noted that the crises between herdsmen and farmers had lingered for years without anyone coming up with a bold step to address the issues.

    He further stressed that implementing the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law was targeted at finding a permanent solution to the challenge in the state.

     

    More details shortly…