Grazing Land, Herdsmen’s Killings, And Governor Ugwuanyi’s Tears

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

By Osita Nwaka

Herdsmen are at it again. After the Nimbo killings, no one expected that another Enugu town or anywhere in the Southeast will come under attack. At least not so soon. Incidences such as these raise many questions. Should a Governor who is the Chief Security Officer of his State watch helplessly as his people are being killed? Should he rely on Security apparatus that take orders from other quarters? What are the implications of these killings on the Grazing land issue?  I read an article by Churchill Okonkwo entitled “Efulefu Biafrans” How to play the Ethnic and Religious Cards and Lose. Published by Saharareporters on June 13, 2016.

Churchill in my opinion veered of the track on the Grazing Land issue. Adorning a Neo Nationalist Cloak and pontificating on an issue of which one, apparently has no good grasp is not how to be detribalized. Comparing the allocation of Lands for shop by the relevant authorities in North to the allocation of lands for grazing purposes in the South is like comparing a clap to a bomb blast on the grounds that both produce sounds.

There are genuine security concerns regarding the Grazing Land issue. When the Bill became public, Governor Ajimobi of Oyo State, stated unequivocally that not an inch of Oyo State Land will be given out for grazing. ‘So Osisi nuru n’aga egbu ya o ka kwuru’ (only the tree heard that it will be cut down and still stood).

Fulani herdsmen are no longer the innocuous nomads who transverse our communities with their Cattles, quietly and somewhat indifferent to the external environment. Now they are blend of Cattle Rearers and guerilla fighters, revealing each side according to the dictate of their impregnable minds. They probably perceive dialogue as weakness and unleashing mayhem on their target give them fulfillment.

Not long ago, Fulani herdsmen invaded Nimbo Community in Enugu State and left their signature carnage. On May 27th, President Buhari reacting to a question on the Enugu Killings, during a press interview, gave an insight on the matter. According to him, Gaddafi – the late President of Libya recruited some young men from the Sahel and trained them on how to shoot and kill. When Gaddafi was killed these young men were driven out of Libya. They made their way into Mali, Burkina Faso and also Nigeria. He alleged that they could be involved in the killing, since they can be hired to fight for a fee.

In view of the foregoing, allocating lands for grazing purposes in the South-East is tantamount to carving out territories for Fulani herdsmen and the professional killers from the Sahel within Igbo Communities. Especially when it is obvious that for the Northerners, the religious bond is stronger than the Green Passport.

When the killings in Plateau State became so frequent such that the Press dropped ‘Breaking’ from the News. I was worried and curious about the existence of a somewhat shift – duty arrangement between the attackers and the State Security Forces. A situation where the killers on each attack held sway at night, and the Security Agents resuming in the morning, apparently to quell a reprisal. My curiosity was heightened by the absence of a single incidence of duty – clash, the herdsmen were always successful.

An article by Femi Orebe, a Columnist with the Nation Newspaper, entitled ‘The Looming Cattle War in Nigeria’ published on May 29th, 2016 edition answered my question. He published a report by the Chinua Achebe Centre for Leadership and Development (CACLD) entitled ‘Fulani Herdsmen Killing: Modus Operandi. Those Involved and Possible Solutions’. The last paragraph of item 6 has the following information “During an attack every Fulani person in the area knows there will be an attack and all will contribute to make sure it goes on successfully. Fulanis in the higher levels of the Military will ensure all Commands under them stand down, and top Fulani Police Officers will do the same. The road is then clear for the Fulani herdsmen to carry out their attacks.

The Enugu state Governor gave the Police a hint that an attack was likely at Nimbo, having been informed by the locals that they have been  Governor Ugwuanyi for his tears, got the Police Commissioner redeployed. Another attack has successfully been carried out in Ndiagu Attakwu. The Governor went and wept. He assured the traumatized people  that the perpetractors will be brought to book, as if it is in his powers to do so. He failed to realize that no one lives to see his killer brought to book. In other words, the people are interested in being alive and not the arrest of their killers. The onus is on him to ensure that his state is safe and secure. There is Anambra Vigilante Group, there is Imo Security Network. Ugwuanyi is not helpless, he should simply borrow a leaf from either of these states.

The position of the Federal Government is pro cattle. One thousand soldiers were promptly sent to Zamfara to combat cattle rustling. Elsewhere, farmers have become  endangered specie, no thanks to incesant attacks by herdsmen. The Federal Government has no alternative other than Grazing land. The cattle is given priority consideration in every instance. The herdsmen apparently have monopoly of violence, they are the victors, so the Government can afford to downplay the issue and foot drag.

Governor Ugwuanyi’s tears at Nimbo apparently didn’t spur him to proactive action. His latest tears at Ndiagu Attakwu literally communicates hopelessness to his people. He has to rise up to this challenge. The Southeast Governors should rally round their Enugu brother. Otherwise it won’t be long before they find themselves in similar situations.

Osita Nwaka can be reached at ostarnc@gmail.com and lives in Lagos.