Avoid herdsmen/farmers’ clash in Ekiti

THE atrocities and mayhem unleashed by suspected armed Fulan herdsmen in our dear nation, Nigeria, cannot be accurately estimated. The herdsmen often make the news almost every day, with little or no effort to nip the menace in the bud. They maim, rape and kill their victims who are usually farmers whose farms are being destroyed by the cattle being reared by the herdsmen. Funny enough, they have taken their barbaric activities to the capital city, Abuja. Many families have been left to mourn and recount their losses as they are still exposed to the untoward activities of the herdsmen.

Usually, they go unpunished. This encourages them carry out reprisal attacks. Of course, they are sometimes motivated by some political office holders to tag their attacks as reprisals. The ungodly events in Southern Kaduna are still fresh in our memories. The perpetrators are yet to face the full wrath of the law. The wounds inflicted on the Agatus in Benue State are yet to heal. Hundreds of people have been rendered homeless – displaced – by these unrepentant individuals who also extend their callous activities to Abia, Enugu and Delta states. Wherever they wreak havoc, tensions and anxiety soar, as tears of widows and children flow.

The Fulani herdsmen’s heinous deeds remain a threat to the security of our nation, irrespective of region or geopolitical zone. Sometimes, as a result of security failure, residents of various communities take up arms and ammunition to defend themselves against the brutish herdsmen. This leads to clashes that leave many dead and many more injured. And the attacks and clashes go on, like we have in Benue State. To curb the herdsmen’s menace, the Ekiti State government enacted a law to control the movements and expeditions of the rustlers. It was a welcome development because preventing clashes between the animal farmers and crop farmers will help to maintain peace and harmony in the South-West state. Although there were reactions from some quarters, the law has come to stay. However, the peace it aimed to maintain is already being challenged in the state. Tensions and unnecessary killings have started, and people are now in panic.

Recently, some yet to be identified people trailed an innocent farmer to his farmland in Oye Local Government Area. The farmer was allegedly killed and had his head and hands chopped off. Another person, this time a herdsman identified as Ahmed Dele was beheaded in Omu, the same local government. The two incidents have been confirmed. Even the Secretary, Jamunati Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter, Idris Salaudeen, stated that the second deceased was kidnapped before he was killed.

While calling on the Federal Government to unmask the killers, the Secretary said,  “This is a very sad frightening development considering what the country is going through in terms of insecurity. There has been a lot of misconceptions and negative reports about the activities of Fulani herdsmen in recent times. But I want to tell you that we are peace -loving people and we have been living peacefully with our various host communities in Ekiti State.” This might mean that the association does not support violence. But will its members let the sleeping dogs lie? Is violence not imminent in the state?

The timely condemnation of the ugly incidents by the  traditional ruler of the community, the Olomu of Omu, Oba J. A. Ogundeyi, is really commendable in this country where leaders often find it extremely difficult to condemn unlawful activities that involve members of their ethnic groups. Nevertheless, condemnation may not really be enough as proactive measures need to be put in place to avert further dangers in the state. Hopefully, the residents of Omu community and the state in general will yield to the words of the monarch who called for calm. Gone are those days traditional leaders were obeyed without question!

All the stakeholders in Omu and Ekiti State have different roles to play in order to return normalcy to the community. The Jamunati Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter, is expected to intervene by warning its members to desist from any action inimical to the peaceful coexistence in the state. Meanwhile, the traditional ruler should ensure that his people do not further cause crisis in the community.  The state government being led by Mr. Ayodele Fayose has a lot to do. The individuals responsible for the two separate killings in Omu should be nabbed, prosecuted and punished. They should be made to account for the blood they shed. As a matter of fact, this will calm many strained nerves. Shielding criminals because of their religion, social or ethnic group will never solve the problem, but rather worsen it.

The Federal Government of the federation should act swiftly before things go out of hand in Ekiti State. The country cannot afford another bloodbath in that part of the nation. A stitch in time will save millions this time around. The armed Fulani herdsmen are notorious for vendetta missions. Taking things for granted can cost the state and country more than we can account for. Security personnel should be deployed to the community and others prone to any attack.

• Faboade writes in from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.