SAN FRANCISCO, July 05, (THEWILL) – There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria has degenerated to the abyss, as a country where the government is unable to protect its citizens.
The recent herdsmen inspired attacks in Plateau State, where over 200 locals were murdered and properties worth hundreds of millions of naira destroyed, have clearly shown that humans lives are not precious in the country.
While the mystery surrounding the mindless killings in Benue and Taraba states are yet to be resolved, these spates of killings in Plateau tend to suggest that there is a sinister conspiracy to annihilate the people of the region.
The display of insensitivity by the controversial Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association, MACBAN, the association of cattle owners in the north-central region, Danladi Ciroma, over the crises has also not helped matters.
The federal government, which controls the entire security apparatus of the nation has again failed its citizens. The latest attacks targeted 11 villages, razed at least 50 homes and all President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo could offer is the routine “government is on top of the situation” line, even as more people die from attacks.
It is apparent that the security agencies have been ineffective in preventing, or stopping these killings that have refreshed memories of the Nigerian civil war. Buhari’s failure to stop these mass executions and his initial aloofness to the crises has seen critics label him a sympathizer of the MACBAN because he is a Fulani, a grand patron of the association and a cattle owner.
Just like the pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, said, Buhari must choose between being President of Nigeria, or Grand Patron of the MACBAN because his handling of the crises to say the least has been lackluster until now.
THEWILL understands that the Nigerian military is over stretched with the deployment of soldiers to over a dozen states to either fight terrorism or militancy but, we have a police force and other para-military agencies that should ordinarily be able to deal with such problems internal conflicts if properly trained and equipped.
Why Buhari has not personally gotten involved in the negotiations between herdsmen and landowners until now is surprisingly ludicrous.
THEWILL recalls that in 2001 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Buhari, then as an ex-Head of State, farmer and cattle owner, led a delegation of Fulani northern leaders to find a lasting solution to a crisis between the natives and Fulani herders in that state. “Why are your people killing my people?” he asked the now deceased Governor, Lam Adesina.
With the present trend, will anyone fault the helpless locals of Plateau, Benue and Taraba if they resort to self-help as canvassed by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma? Will their leaders be out of line asking President Buhari “Why are your people killing my people?”
The president must show good and proactive leadership by personally getting involved in finding lasting solutions to these killings before it plunges the country into another needless, destructive and destabilising civil war. All those responsible for the killings must be brought to justice irrespective of their status in the society. This is the only reasonable path to equity, fairness, justice and peace.
Buhari must lead the negotiations between “his people” and farmland owners so that we can all live together peacefully going forward. Enough is enough!
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