RUGA suspension: Nigerians should be vigilant, FG can’t be trusted —Onuesoke

Chief Sunny Onuesoke was a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State. The ace social commentator speaks with EBENEZER ADUROKIYA on the RUGA settlement imbroglio.

WHAT’S your stand on the suspended RUGA settlement for herdsmen and why?

The open show of desperation by the President Muhammadu Buhari led-government to please these marauding Fulani herdsmen at all cost only goes to show that there is more to it than meets the eye. What is so special about these herdsmen that President Buhari is hell-bent on pleasing them at all time? It is almost three months now; Buhari is yet to implement the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. Instead, he is planning to build RUGA settlements for herdsmen across the nation. What an irony of president? By the suspension of the scheme, it has become clear to everyone that Nigeria does not belong to anyone or group of people. With the massive outcry and rejection against the RUGA settlement, I had expected the Presidency to immediately cancel or scrap the idea instead of just suspending it. By suspension, it means the plan is still in place with the possibility of being executed in the future. There is a possibility that the Federal Government might revisit the RUGA idea again and probably implement the establishment of RUGA settlement against the wish of the people.

Our kidnappers were typical Fulani men and were on drugs, they were herdsmen, they told us themselves —Bauchi victim

Why do you think the government refused to consult the people and all stakeholders before contemplating/embarking on such a critical matter?

The refusal of the Federal Government to consult the people and all stakeholders before embarking on the RUGA scheme only goes to give credence to insinuations of Islamisation and Fulanisation agenda being pursued by the Buhari-led government. Only recently, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo raised concerns about such an agenda and events that have unfolded in recent weeks only go to show that there is more to it than meets the eye. We must not forget the fact that the Federal Government recently had contemplated assisting these same herdsmen with over 100 billion naira and not forgetting the recent radio station recently launched to support them by the same Federal Government. From all indications, there are a lot of questions begging for answers.

What do you think would have been the immediate and far-reaching implications of the scheme and how do you mean?

It might just be a catalyst for another civil war. I guess the Federal Government saw the writings on the wall; they saw that Nigerians had already rejected the idea even before they announced it. RUGA establishment might just be that single element that would have triggered the Tunisia revolution in Nigeria, but thank God it was averted. It beats my imagination to see the desperation by the Buhari-led government to always come to the aid of the marauding Fulani herdsmen who have embarked on what one can only describe as a killing spree across the land. At every point in time, the Federal Government tends to display soft spot in their actions. We have heard and seen the level of barbaric deconstructions these herdsmen have wreaked on innocent citizens across the country and yet the Federal Government continues to treat them with kid’s glove. The president is yet to bring to book the perpetrators of the herdsmen killings and destruction to book, as he always promised whenever they finished with their acts.

What do you think are the likely consequences in case the Federal Government still goes ahead with the scheme, which it claimed to have been gazetted?

Going ahead to implement the scheme may result in another revolution in Nigeria, owing to the fact that Nigerians from all walks of life have rejected the idea ab initio. Why would you want to force your Fulani brothers on our land? Cattle-rearing is an individual business like farming is, therefore if you know you want to feed your cattle, get a ranch as being practised even in advanced countries. The government has already created an impression about its stand on the activities of these marauding herdsmen, so going ahead with the scheme may result in serious backlash from Nigerians with huge consequences.

What’s your reaction to the 30 days ultimatum given by Miyetti Allah to the Federal Government to commence the implementation of the suspended scheme?

The ultimatum is uncalled for and shows a people who do not regard the right of other Nigerians, because they have this thinking that Nigeria belongs to them and they must have their way at all cost. It is now becoming clear as to what their intention is with regard to the establishment of the RUGA settlement. The president should call his people to order and let them realise that by giving such ultimatum, they are playing with the sensibility of Nigerians, especially those from the Southern part of the country. Imagine the level of boldness! This can only happen in a country where the government of the day has been compromised.