Much has been heard and said about Fulani herders in the country who go about killing, maiming and raping people. Countless of lives and property have lost in various parts of the country due to the barbaric activities of the herdsmen as they take pleasure in spilling innocent blood of Nigerians, mainly rural dwellers. The rural dwellers are predominantly farmers whose farms are being destroyed by the heartless Fulani herdsmen’s cattle. From the North to the South, these herders have left blood in their trail destroying everything and persons they come across.
The recent killings in Benue state have left sour taste in the mouth of Nigerians as grief, heartache, disappoints and hatred have spread amongst the people. People are disappointed with the government both state and federal, for failing to protect law abiding citizens of the country from these marauders.
The Benue massacre which happened penultimate week is one too many. It is not the only one in recent time as similar attacks have taken place in Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Enugu, and many other places across the country. The federal government has not done much to curb the evil activities of these herders. Since the menace heightened three years ago, precisely from 2015, the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari has been reluctant to stop the marauders by not mobilizing all the security agencies to fight the herders. Rather, the Buhari administration had asked all the states of the federation to provide cattle ranches for the Fulani herders. Many states are opposed to this idea and have enacted laws against it which has heightened the brutish invasion of villages and towns by the cattle rearers and in many cases had wiped them the villages/towns) out.
Initially, the Sultan of Sokoto and other prominent northerners had claimed that the cattle rearers are not Nigerians but foreigners who migrated to the country.
The questions that boggle the mind of Nigerians are: Who armed the herdsmen and if they are not Nigerians, who allowed them into the country with arms? Are they really herdsmen or jihadists? Herdsmen are known for tending their cows with sticks and not sophiscated weapons like AK 47.
The Buhari led federal government should do the needful by curbing the heinous activities of the Fulani herdsmen. Security agencies including the military should be deployed to the attack prone areas of the country and give the citizens of the country the much needed peace.
Spilling of blood of innocent citizens of this country must not be allowed to continue. The menace of these barbaric herders might lead to unrest or even civil war. It must be curbed before it degenerates to another civil war.