herdsmen Archives -

The politics of insecurity and possible solutions.

Cmoni / December 1, 2021

Every government must consider the security of the country. That is just part of the responsibilities of any government. But true security can only come out of unity within a country where there are so many ethnic nationalities. ~Aung San Suu Kyi I had purposely refrained from writing on the RUGA madness that recently engulfed the polity for two reasons. Firstly, nobody has ever apprehended the cattle left behind by the killer Fulani herdsmen because it’s hard to believe that they disappear into the thin air with the herd. Two, I suspected the whole idea to be a ruse, a smokescreen to distract Nigerians from the impending petroleum subsidy removal by the government — and yes political distraction is a strategy in governance — Allow me to quickly digress with a brief background before we proceed. As a student at the University of Maiduguri, I observed that the Igbo building material traders in collaboration with their host community had a security outfit. My own hometown has a Hausa community with a polling unit. They have a security outfit which cooperates with our local vigilante and the police. I have employed more than ten guards from them over the years. And after the infamous 2016 Nimbo attacks, a friend from Nimbo whom I called to get a better picture of what actually transpired revealed that the Fulani community in there owned a large settlement and had been engaged in economic activities in the area dating back to the colonial era. The above examples of teamwork were ostensibly for crime prevention and peaceful coexistence. Fast forward to 2019 and the Fulani tribe has been so stereotyped that almost everything wrong with Nigeria now is associated with the Hausa-Fulani hegemony. It got so bad that the 2017 massacre inside a Catholic church in Anambra state was initially reported on social media as an attack by Fulani terrorists. So one can rightly say that Nigeria has completely lost any semblance of innocence that existed. With our common fault lines amplified, mistrust, suspicion and resentment have become malignant. and the government is aware of this. It is, therefore, conceivable that it deliberately introduced RUGA into the national space to elicit wearying outrage before a planned subsidy removal. Now let’s discuss the present issue. With the election behind us, the insecurity is mounting as predicted. Across the nation, we have escalating cases of banditry, kidnapping, violent Shiite protests and of course the most popular ‘Fulani herdsmen’ attacks, which have resulted in an incalculable loss of lives. And this assessment is only going by the reports that make it to the news. Nigerians are slaughtered on an hourly basis by criminals including those in uniform who are supposed to protect them. Vice President Osinbajo recently came under severe criticism for suggesting that the reports of kidnapping across the land were often exaggerated especially on social media. Of course, he spoke the truth. The proliferation of cheap communication tools has aided this magnification. Ignorant Nigerians who cannot perform a simple google search are hired to broadcast fallacies concocted by politicians and their agents. Afterall there was no WhatsApp when kidnappers were paid tithes in Aba and luxury buses travelled with police escorts. But was that the right thing for the nation’s number two man to say at a period we are daily bombarded with live videos of kidnapping and other forms of violence? The answer is an emphatic NO! Perception is crucial in governance. You may not be doing the right things, but saying the right things will often get you by. Our soldiers are constantly on the receiving end of deadly attacks. In early February the town of Rann in the Borno state lost 60 lives to Boko Haram terrorists and in the same month, a band of yet to be identified gunmen invaded a community in Kaduna state killing 130 people. Nobody is safe anymore except perhaps the politicians themselves surrounded by a retinue of security operatives. But their relatives are not spared, they feel the torment like other Nigerians. In the past week, gunmen murdered Fasoranti’s daughter as she travelled to Lagos from Akure, gunned down an uncle of the infamous Senator Abbo and abducted his stepmother. Not even President Buhari’s family has been spared as his inlaw was only rescued last week after two months in captivity. These are perilous times and must not be allowed to fester. So Osinbajo and indeed the government as a whole are expected to proffer solutions, solutions and solutions only. Will the recent killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin prove to be the tipping point? Time will tell as events unfold. However, the poignant issue in this orgy of violence and also a stimulus for the strong opposition against this government is that the perpetrators literally get away with it — even when it may not be so — except when a prominent person is involved. Again, this has to do with my earlier point on perception. Already, the tempo of the rhetoric is increasing. Obasanjo who personally directed and defended the decimation of Odi and Zakibiam has already inked another letter calling for an end to the killing by ‘herdsmen’. Odumakin the disgruntled Buhari gofer is screaming Islamisation while Femi Fani Kayode who could be Yoruba, Biafran or Fulani depending on who is oiling his flute at the time is shouting ‘Fulanisation’ and calling on the Aare Ona Kakanfo to start beating the war drums. It is only the amnesiac that will take this trio seriously in their macabre but banal dance. But since Nigerians are often impressionable it would be proper for the authorities to check these outbursts before we are plunged into a spiral of reprisal attacks, because as Nyerere once noted: “the people who are politically and intellectually bankrupt normally seek refuge in ethnicity and religion as a major factor of mobilisation”. The government must be wary not to treat this potent factor with levity. The pertinent questions our security agents should tackle after apprehending the culprits are; How Yinka Odumakin who

Essays, Writers

Never Keep Silent by Victor Okonjo.

Cmoni / February 12, 2021

The clause ‘Never again’ from the aforementioned topic was derived from an online zoom conference titled “The second never again conference” hosted by Dele Momodu of Ovation Magazine and Mazi Ezeoke. The concept behind the conference was to cross examine the state of the nation in the pre and post civil war era with a view to proffer suggestions to prevent another internal war. The invited guests who participated in the online zoom conference had a consensus that Nigeria is sick and needs urgent treatment to prevent a second civil insurrection. A major concern that contributes to the Nigerian sickness is the herders and farmers crisis, which has become a lingering subject of national discuss. The conflict between farmers and herders took centre stage when herders started oppressing famers on their farmlands and the situation has since exacerbated into a nightmare. There have been toxic reactions generated across board from the farmers and herders crisis. From time immemorial, Nigeria has witnessed increase in nomadic movement especially from the northern to southern part of the country. This is because, the southern part of Nigeria constitute more Greenland than the north. In order to get green vegetation at no cost to feed their cattle, the herders result to regular migration from one location to another. A herder is one who rears cattle and ensures they are in good condition. A regular herder possesses a stick, plastic or rubber bottle and a crafted bag as he watches over his cattle. Then, there were no cause for alarm as herders were not seen to be agents of trouble. However, in present time, there has been a major twist in the activities of the herders. They lead their cattle into people’s farmlands and feed their cattle with the crops planted by farmers. The herders put up stiff resistance even to the point of assault when the farmers confront them in a bid to protect their farmlands. This led to the genesis of the herders and farmers crisis. Nowadays, we see herders move about not with the regular sticks they are known for but various weapons. Their argument is that they use those weapons to protect their cattle and themselves when confronted. This argument remains invalid because of its inconsistency with the constitution of Nigeria, which does not permit the possession of unlicensed weapon (Guns). Farmers no longer have total control of their farmlands because of the fear of attack by herders popularly referred to as “Killer herdsmen”. Farmers across the country continue to witness undue molestation from herders. These herders move freely with different weapons, invade people’s farmlands, rape the women and still kill them on the spot. The activities of the so called “killer herdsmen” have heightened serious tension across the country. They are seen to be more criminal than normal as they constantly violate the fundamental human rights of other citizens. Consequently, Nigeria suffers a huge loss in food production due to the herders and farmers crisis. Also, the criminal activities orchestrated by the herders have raised the state of insecurity in the country to a level of critical. A large section of the country are now very uncomfortable having the herders around their communities as they are perceived to constitute nuisance and threat to peaceful coexistence. It is melancholy to know that the government of the day has not taken any bold step to advert this crisis. Instead, they put on cold feet and the farmers are left to decide their fate. The herders and farmers crisis is not unassociated with ethnic and tribal sentiment, which makes it more dangerous. The situation could be seen as a joke by the authorities of State and if left unchecked, can possibly incite a second civil war. Therefore, the big question is asked; what can be done so that never again will Nigeria be pushed to a full blow insurrection as a result of the herders and farmers crisis? The Way Forward The first step to take as a government and as a people is to never again keep silent when thing go wrong in our country especially when it is obviously beyond doubt. Another major solution to the herders and farmers crisis is adopting ranching system. The government should designate arable lands that can be purchased by cattle breeders to house their cattle. Cattle breeders can also lease private landed properties to setup a ranching system. There should be ban on underage grazing and the open grazing methodology nationwide. This is the twenty first century; no developed country or a country aiming for growth and development will allow the use of ancient nomadic system especially in an era where science and technology has evolved. There will be no more disputes between herders and farmers if ranching system is adopted. Farmers will be able to focus and improve on farming operations to boost food and crop production. The government should dispose non partisan leadership on matters of national interest without ethic and religious sentiment. They should descend the powers of State mightily on criminal elements disguised as herders. This is to create a sense of belonging in the country and enforce the mandate of the constitution which is supreme above any individual or status. It sends a clear signal that, indeed, no one is above the law. The government should make cautious effort in deescalating the lethargic ethnic and religious reactions associated with the herders and farmers crisis by proofing to be the government of all and not the government of a particular ethnic or religious group. Nigeria is our beloved country and we own it a duty of patriotic loyalty above ethnic and religious sentiment hence, Nigeria first. In line with the consensus of Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, the keynote speaker in the second never again conference held at a zoom meeting hosted by Dele Momodu of Ovation Magazine and Mazi Ezeoke, we must never again keep silent over the wellbeing of our dear country Nigeria. Victor Okonjo

Blog, Reverie

My Gateman Is From The Fulani Tribe by Chike Amobi.

Cmoni / January 16, 2021

And increasingly now, I worry! I had never really been too conscious of this until recently. Ahmed is a slim lanky kid with yellow teeth and timid disposition. He is on the wrong side of 30. He respectfully bows down and pumps his fists in obedient reverence every time he greets you. And flashes those pale yellow teeth in his attempt to smile at you. A smile I believe in my heart is genuine as his face lights up. He resides in the gatehouse of my office building and has been there since construction started. He has been very efficient, works hard and never derelict in his duties. And also appears to get along very well with my driver who is Tiv. And there’s an irony in this because the bulk of Fulani Herdsmen massacres are perpetrated in Benue State. For the benefit of my Non-Nigerian brethren who may perhaps be wondering why I am throwing out all these tribes, here’s why. There’s an apparent and under reported pogrom going on in Nigeria now. Heartless killers who have now gained indubitable notoriety as “Fulani Herdsmen” are engaging in clandestine murderous adventures every day in neighborhoods that are clearly outside their geographical borders. And coming uncomfortably closer each day. Ostensibly in their bid to assert their “God Given” rights to have THEIR cattle graze on YOUR land without regards to the wanton destruction, they cause on YOUR land. Too bad! No one is spared in the massacre. Old women and children. Pregnant women and toddlers. Everyone in sight is either ‘AK 47ed’ down or cut into toast-sized slices with unfriendly and bloodied machetes. Leaving an aftermath of human abattoir after each of their unannounced and unwelcome visits. And leaving no doubt about their identities as “Fulani” Herdsmen. Recently, pictures and videos of these gun totting bloodhounds have been circulated on the internet. And at the risk of sounding stereotypical, they look no different from the Ahmed right here. Except that Ahmed is carrying no guns. And Ahmed smiles and washes cars very well. And doesn’t look like he could hurt a fly. And I know looks are deceptive. But still. Anyways, increasingly now, when he gives me that usual “Sanu De Zua” greeting, (basically, Good Morning) I’m increasingly and embarrassingly thankful to God that Ahmed has no contact with my family. And I find I’m now looking him deep in the eyes to see if I can identify any latent murderous proclivities by examining deep into his pupils. No way. Having been on the wrong side of racial profiling as an American Citizen, and having filed Civil Rights actions in the Courts over there to assert the Constitutional rights of people who have been unlawfully stereotyped and discriminated against, I try to keep that ol’ “you don’t judge a book by its cover” mentality and proceed with the mindset that not all Fulanis are murderers. All well and fine. But in this case, and with all the gory pictures circulating on the World Wide Web about the havoc that Fulanis are causing all over the place, mutual suspicion has set in between and amongst Fulanis and everyone else. I keep wondering whether Ahmed is unaware of what is happening with his tribesmen? And what he thinks of it? And what he really thinks of Non-Fulanis? And obviously, like Jesus asked his disciples, who do you, AHMED, say I am? I must confess that even with his smiles and timid disposition, I can’t help hearing that still small voice NOW that, whenever AHMED walks by and flashes that his usual smile, that still small voice mischievously whispers to me, “What If…” And I am now having to deal with the interrogatory, Does AHMED Go or Stay?

Blog, Essays, Monishots

How the South-East should respond to Amotekun.

Cmoni / January 25, 2020

“It is the opinion of many great authorities that every nation or people build its future on its past, that is, a past that has been properly studied and understood, and whose seminal experience has been extracted and redeployed for further use”. ~ Prof. Adiele Afigbo Ever since Mohammed Yusuf was extra-judicially murdered by the police in 2007- a costly insurgency that has so far claimed over fifty thousand lives and displaced about three million continues to ravage the nation. The hydra-headed problem turned into a conflagration which continues to oxygenate the activities of bandits in the North-West and killer herdsmen across the nation. The inability of the national defence and security apparatus to contain the insurgents has seen an otherwise localised conflict permeate the other regions in different guises. In the South West kidnapping became so rampant that even the high and mighty were not spared. Chief Olu Falae is lucky to be alive while Pa Fasoranti’s daughter -may her soul rest in peace- wasn’t so lucky. What’s more, President Buhari’s lopsided appointments in the security architecture and his reluctance to replace the service chiefs in the face of perennial insecurity culminated in the birth of Operation Amotekun. Well, so the Yoruba leaders say. I am not sold on that narrative. I believe that Operation Amotekun is actually more about politics than security. Why do I think so? Well, part of the reason should be obvious to the discerning observer. With the exception of some Nordic countries and a few others, even the most liberal democracies have its security framework usually designed with the principal consideration of protecting the ruling elite let alone Nigeria where ours was largely shaped by long years of military dictatorship. Precisely, the established operational paradigm in the country can rightly be described as regime security rather than national security. This is better exemplified in the fact that it is normal to have the number of security operatives attached to the office of a local government chairman supersede what is left to guard the local government area itself. Tinubu himself is very much aware of this. As the political godfather of the South West, his measured statement calling for dialogue with the federal government couldn’t have been better crafted given his rumoured ambition to succeed Buhari. Who wants to stir the applecart? And did his caution prevail? Certainly, the northern dominated federal government is aware of existing security outfits like Hisbah, JTF and the rest. So it makes little sense to boisterously oppose a similar initiative by the politically aligned South West. Moreover, any other amorphous security organisation out there that exceeds set boundaries as the so-called legal framework will definitely outline can always be tamed. Cut to size and reduced to omonile like Obasanjo did to the Oodua Peoples Congress OPC. So, as the Federal Government led pally with South-West Governors on the contentious issues concluded with a mutual agreement public attention will understandably switch to other regions particularly the South-East. Leaders of the region will be inundated with more calls to reproduce something identical. Already we ‘ve had some chest-thumping from usual vocal quarters. While Ohaneze Youth Council called on the conspicuously silent South-East Governors to resuscitate the defunct Bakassi boys, IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu promised to relaunch the disbanded Biafran Security Service with the aim of supporting Amotekun with one million men. However, our leaders need not succumb to these chaotic and discordant demands. There are factors to be taken into account before any coordinated response if at all there will be one as different geopolitical regions in the Nigerian enclave has its peculiarities. This is even more so with the South East. For one, baring Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, the remaining South West Governors will face reelection sooner or later with Akerodolu of Ondo state looking to renew his mandate later this year. The region’s electorate often described as the most politically sophisticated couldn’t care less about the fact that bulk of the governors are members of the ruling APC. Given the opportunity, the Oyo state experience may be replicated in states where the governor’s report card is subpar. Now given that the security of lives and property is always a paramount factor in electioneering campaign and if your people have been lamenting the poor security situation, what better promise than an indigenous outfit to secure the region? Moreso, when it will likely be opposed -as we have seen- by perceived traducers or invaders like Miyetti Allah as Odumakin and Femi Fani Kayode, would have them believe. We can now see the reason behind the collective insistence and perhaps desperation of the governors to fly the spotted cat. Perception is key. In reality, the converse is the case in the South-East. Only Hope Uzodimma will seek re-election. The rest are doing a second term. Moreover, the region has fared best in terms of security over the last two years. According to the statistics released by Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), it had the least percentage (1%) of reported cases of kidnapping between Jan-Sept 2019. Compare that to (43%) in the North West and you can see who really needs to emulate Amotekun. The truth is that silently the South-East governors though often perceived as inept by a majority of her people have performed creditably in the area of security. Gone are the days when the region was notorious for kidnapping. In Anambra state, for instance, Governor Obiano encouraged community policing from day one. Each town union is well funded to maintain a vigilante group who collaborate with the police. The governor also regularly equips the state police command with vehicles, communication and security gadgets including drones. This laudable initiative has earned the state several accolades as the safest in the country and is currently being xeroxed in Abia and Ebonyi states. So Igbo leaders need to be circumspect and proactive here. Ours is a region blessed with abundant natural resources like oil, coal, zinc, limestone, salt and much more which remain largely

Blog, Essays, Monishots

President Buhari must halt the rising body count.

Cmoni / March 17, 2018

“The problem of terrorism is not confined to the North alone. Insecurity generally should be blamed on the Federal Government. The world is very much concerned about two things — the issue of security and economic well-being of a nation. Security is number one. A nation can only be economically viable if there is security.” ~ Muhammadu Buhari With the above words, Buhari specifically blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for the killings in the North while speaking to the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation in April 2013. Fast forward to 2018 and the same region is still in the news for the same bad reasons. The relentless killings have now spread from Benue to Zamfara to Taraba to Plateau and now Kogi state. Who knows the next bus stop? Is there a passing day that we will not have to contend with this increasing body count? Curiously, these carcinogenic marauders have severally proved to be irrepressible. The ease with which they roam around the country can be likened to that of politicians in their siren blaring convoys. You may not be wrong to categorize both as the same kit and kin. Finally, the Kogi state governor found his voice, in a statement released on Friday 16th March- two days after the attacks, Governor Bello said through his spokesman that: “The violence has since been contained and brought under control. The incident, however, remains under investigation while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the attackers and bring them to justice” Even though the statement condemned the killings and rightly called for caution while urging citizens to ignore the conflicting numbers in the news there was neither enough outrage nor alarm to reflect the gravity of the matter. This is quite regrettable for a young man saddled with the huge responsibility of leading his people. I had expected that the Governor would be bold enough to rebuke the federal government just like when he hammered the church on corrupt tithe proceeds. Contrastingly the Senator representing Kogi East was more emotive at the floor of the Red Chamber. Reporting the incident to his colleagues Senator Atai Aidoko had put it thus: “The Senate notes that on Wednesday 14th March 2018, no fewer than 20 people were killed in a violent attack on the people of Dekina Local Government and 12 people gruesomely killed in Omala local government of Kogi state by Fulani herdsmen” Despite the obvious lack of certainty in the statement as we have seen reports of varying numbers ranging from 20 to 32 and the Senate had previously been misled into believing that Fulanis carried out similar attacks in Zamfara state, the Senator, however, re-echoed the thoughts of many Nigerians when he said that, “the perpetrators of these heinous crimes have not been arrested and persecuted by the Nigerian Police Force. This has led to the continuation of the killings in the country” President Buhari has gained notoriety for his slow response to burning issues. An unfortunate and frustrating style that is eroding much of his hard-earned reputation as a strict soldier. The seeming helplessness of his administration in the face of these persistent attacks should be giving him insomnia but rather we are regularly bombarded daily with pictures of red carpet ceremonies. I am quite aware that human beings have peculiar biases and President Buhari as a human being is entitled to his love for his Fulani brethren just like we all love our people too. However, much as I wish to avoid the ethnic colouration that has trivialized these dangerous crimes especially in the media, it is worthy of mention that the complicit statements from highly placed Fulani leaders both in the past and present are definitely not lost on many Nigerians. Therefore, Muhammadu Buhari as a person can afford to be biased but President Buhari cannot be biased. Not only must he act in an unbiased manner but he must be seen to have acted so. That is the responsibility that comes with public office. But we have a President who has refused to do as little as tweak the nation’s security apparatus even as it is glaring that what is really needed is a complete overhaul. Whatever devotion he may have for his long-term loyalists is now conceited in the face of all these security challenges and a general should know that this will ultimately be detrimental to the progress of the nation. It is time to summon the courage and fire those found wanting. But will he? Will Buhari shock us by sacking the IGP tomorrow? Your guess is as good as mine. Honestly, I expect that the selfish ones around him will be feeding him with lies and with the general elections less than a year away many will prioritize politics ahead of governance. However, farmers, school children, UN workers and even the dreaded herdsmen themselves are killed routinely in what has become an orgy of violence across the Middle Belt and North East. I couldn’t sleep a few days ago after listening to an audio clip that was reportedly recorded by a nurse moments before she was abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists. Whereas some officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who are supposed to tackle some of these problems are often recorded on video extorting money from law abiding citizens. With a President that is unaware of his IGP’s location, it is little wonder then that officers entrusted with providing security are the ones breaching it. How long does this have to continue? Something just has to give. This must abate and very quickly too. Conscientious leaders especially those from the affected communities, states and regions should start speaking out. Where are the traditional and religious leaders? Their silence at this hour is undignified, cowardly and ungodly. They need to cry like Benue people. They have to wail like the Tivs and they must sustain same until the President acts. Our voices need to be heard beyond the social media too.

Blog, Essays

Presidential absence, ministerial insolence and sundry insensitivity by The Guardian

Cmoni / February 17, 2018

When I read that the Zamfara state governor Abdul-aziz Yari Abubakar was still in Abuja unaware of the massacre in his state days after a few media outlets reported it I was livid and decided to pen a piece on such insensitivity and aloofness among our leaders especially President Muhammadu Buhari who has disappointed a majority of Nigerians with his actions or should I say inactions in Benue but in this editorial which was published by The Guardian thoroughly dissected the issue.. Read on ———————————————————————————————————————————— It is still unacceptable that what people feared most about the presidency and its attitude to the herdsmen’s killings in Benue State was actually what happened in the end with President Muhammadu Buhari visiting a neighbouring state, Nasarawa to commission insignificant projects, but failing to visit Benue State. This is a tragic flaw, a character trait, which ultimately leads to a tragic action that produces the tragic hero. It is getting curiouser and curiouser why a president who was elected on an unparallel wave of goodwill would court this fate. It was remarkable that President Muhammadu Buhari had vowed that his administration would not tolerate the attacks by herdsmen and other bandits, developments that have overshadowed other governance issues in the country in recent months. He assured the people of the north-central zone and indeed all Nigerians that the Federal Government was working day and night to ensure peace and stability returned to the flashpoints in the country. Even when he disclosed in Lafia that the government had deployed additional resources to all affected areas to maintain law and order, most people watching on television believed that the Nigerian leader should have flown to Makurdi first to commiserate with the grieving people of Benue who had earlier lost more than 73 of their kinsmen to herdsmen’s murderous acts. But sadly, he did not show up there. This is grossly insensitive. And so, all the grandiloquent speeches in Lafia without visiting Benue’s bloodspots amount to a tale told by an uncaring president. The nation is though not unaware of the fact that the commander-in-chief had directed the security agencies to arrest and prosecute any and all persons found with illegal arms. But again, this is belated. It is only coming on the heels of a groundswell of opinion that the president’s silence has been disturbing to the nation. What is more, a lot of damage had been done before the president’s directive. Besides, impunity had been perceived and insinuations of official complicity had been allowed to go on. All these came just as people were still smarting from the embarrassing visit of Benue leaders to the State House, Abuja where the President urged the Benue people to accept the spirit of the Fulani herdsmen’s atrocities in good faith and accommodate them as fellow Nigerians, a President who should have been the visitor to the grieving people in Benue. Empathy or compassion is what leaders show all over the world. They visit accident scenes and flashpoints to sympathise with the people in shows of compassion and real leadership. This government should know that this is a digital media age when information and responses to issues occur at a speed faster than that of light. So, no leader goes to bed without resolving issues that have hit the roof. Governments all over the world respond to governance and security issues instantaneously. There is no more room for executive or legislative or judicial procrastination. Things go viral immediately. So, apologies, explanations, rationalisation, visits and all critical actions of authorities should be done when they will make desired impact. Definitely, the belated actions from the office of the president on the massacre in Benue State have remarkably reduced the rating of the president and have not ministered grace to the citizens in any way. It is not for any trite reason that the constitution underscores a classical reason governments all over the world exist: “welfare and security of citizens,” which it says “shall be the primary purpose of government.” It will continue to boggle the mind, therefore, that President Buhari at such a perilous time as this could not find a purpose to visit Benue and other areas including Taraba and Adamawa where herdsmen have been wreaking havoc on farms and killing people. Sadly, this appearance of insensitivity has been complicated by ministerial insolence and even wickedness. A curious remark of the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Alli (rtd), stoked the embers of fire the other day when he claimed that the enactment of the anti-grazing laws by some states was the immediate cause of violence by herders is quite unfortunate. This insensitive statement is one that should have been withdrawn immediately in the interest of peace and stability in the land. This is one more careless statement from the president’s key men on the bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers in many parts of the country. The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotum on his own always sets the tone for poor judgment and carelessness when it comes to managing crisis communication. This is also unfortunate. But the point must be quickly made that the buck of all the carelessness stops at the president’s table. He should be ready to bear the brunt of all kinds of incompetence and mediocrity in crisis management. The Defence Minister, who curiously blamed the law instead of the law breakers who are still at large over the killings should be publicly rebuked for his indiscretion that is capable of inflaming passions across flashpoints in the country. The president will continue to receive blames over choices of the men and women who have been working with him to shape politics and policies. Clearly, there have been daily indications that there are far too many of them who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. With due respect to him, the appointor, the Defence Minister lacks the depth, tact and grit expected of a Brigadier-General from the Nigerian Army that has produced numerous fine officers.

Blog, Essays

Apostle Suleman as the tipping point.

Cmoni / February 5, 2017

Religion is the opium of the people ~ Karl Marx One of the greatest sayings in the history of mankind. Karl Marx could not have put it better. Some say he was so ahead of his time that even in this age he would have still been among the greatest philosophers. I am not a Marxist and even though I love written works I only tried reading one of his books “The Poverty of Philosophy”. It was more or less a critique of another philosopher and halfway through I dropped it because I was distracted by what I’ve totally forgotten now. I think I need to read more of his works. Growing up as a student of the College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC) Enugu, I learnt a lot about religion. Prior to then, I used to see the robed men as angels or even saints if you like who could not be faulted. Now a man in his forties, I have learnt even more about religion, especially its perception in my country by both leaders and followers. The common denominator is that majority of us see religion as a means to an end. That explains why young men and women who seek financial and marital breakthroughs respectively flock to the modern churches that have sprung up in every nook and cranny. A majority of the modern pastors themselves are smart businessmen, latching on the ignorance and desperation of the youth to preach prosperity in the usual pattern of “give more and get more”. The trick here is simple: When you tell the gullible to give 1000 and receive 1ook there is every likelihood that they will ‘drop’. But when 1000 gullible followers give 1000, the church coffers have swollen by 1m. This is where I categorise Apostle Suleiman and so many like him. The Apostle was recently in the eye of the storm for callous statements he made calling on his followers to kill any “Fulani herdsman” they see around them. Granted he made the statement after narrating how he got information about a plot by Fulani herdsmen to attack him, but this is definitely not the kind of message that should emanate from religious leaders whether Christian or Muslim. I am all for self-defence don’t get me wrong, however, I also know that majority Fulani herdsmen we see are peaceful citizens going about their daily hustle. It is, therefore, condemnable that a so-called man of God who should be urging restraint will be inciting his followers to murder others. Having said that, it will be right to look at what led to his vituperation. I know the herdsmen problem has been with us for as long as anyone can remember but we appear to have it magnified under this administration. Two things suffice here; One, Buhari is a Muslim and allegedly a leader of Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association. He is reputed to be a champion of their interests and once travelled all the way from Daura to Ibadan to parley with the then Governor Lam Adesina over some fracas involving Fulani herdsmen. Two, the opposition is spearheaded by Christians who even though are aware this has been a perennial problem have not failed to whip up sentiments and media hysteria whenever there is an incident involving Fulani herdsmen. This combination of factors has made it even more difficult to diligently pursue any lasting solution to this thorn in our flesh. Just like many Nigerians, I believe that this government has not been vocal on the problem of rampaging Fulani herdsmen. This has led to anger and frustration in many quarters, it is perhaps this frustration that has pushed Apostle Suleiman to make unguarded comments. It may also be the reason behind the widespread support he received especially from Christians who are often the targets of the murderous herdsmen down South. A sad but unfortunate reality. The smart Apostle has since retracted his statement and has parleyed with the DSS. Stories had it that the timely intervention of CAN calmed frayed nerves and he was let off with a caution. I appreciate and applaud the maturity of all sides but the problem remains unsolved. So while we urge leaders to be guided in their utterances, we must urge govt to hasten its proposed grazing reserves. Controversial as it seems many state governors appear to agree it is a panacea to this age-long problem. Bayelsa for instance recently donated 1,200 hectares of land to cattle rearers, for grazing, ranching and slaughtering of their cattle in the state. This is a laudable development worthy of emulation and I will suggest the govt should make laws that forbid grazing outside such designated areas. The DSS must as a matter of urgency step up its intelligence-gathering to ensure planned attacks are busted and nipped in the bud, because going by the narrative in the Southern part of the country any other attack by herdsmen may likely precipitate a crisis of unimaginable magnitude. A stitch in time….