The recurring violence caused by Fulani herdsmen’s invasion of farmlands in their host communities may become worse if the controversial grazing bill becomes law, FISAYO FALODI writes
Hundreds of people of Berom ethnic group in Plateau State and residents of Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State, whose loved ones were killed not long ago by the rampaging Fulani herdsmen, may have yet to forget the shocking attacks by the herders. No report has indicated that those who perpetrated the killings have been prosecuted by security agencies to serve as deterrent to others. It has also not been reported or heard anywhere that the recommendations made by the various panels set up to unravel the cause of the violence and proffer solution to it have been implemented till today.
This perceived impunity, according to a criminologist, Mr. Adewumi Ogunlade, may have led to the recurring attacks by the nomads across the country. As a result of their seemingly unchecked violent activities, not a few people have been killed and their farmlands plundered by the herdsmen in many other states of the federation. The killings of hundreds of people in Benue State; the adoption of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, and the killings of no fewer than 48 people in Uzo-Uwani community in Enugu State by the herdsmen are some of the recent testimonies of what Ogunlade referred to as the “unrestrained violent activities of the Fulani pastoralists.”
What make the attacks more shocking are the fact that the herdsmen are killing members of their host communities and the attacks are being carried out at a time the Federal Government claimed that it had been recording discerning success in the battle against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.
At a point, some social analysts were miffed that the Federal Government’s intervention in containing the violent activities of the pastoralists was not encouraging.
