Why Igbo monarch cautioned Buhari
– President Buhari has been advised to address the herdsmen killings before Nigeria split under his watch
– The Fulani herdsmen was condemned by the royal father at his palace in Enugu state
The Agaba Idu-24 of Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government area of Enugu State, Eze John Ikemefuna Akor, has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently address the incessant killings by armed gangs suspected to be Fulani herdsmen if the President does not want Nigeria to split under his watch.
When the assailants visited the Enugu community over 45 residents including a member of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), elderly men, women and children were left dead, with several houses including two Churches burnt down.
Speaking with NAIJ.com in his palace in Nimbo, the royal father posited that the atrocity of the Fulani herdsmen in many Nigerian communities have become unbearable and is capable of splitting the country if actions are not taken by concerned authorities to find lasting solution.
“Why should this type of thing be allowed to continue unchecked? Whatever the government can do to resolve the issue should be supported by all Nigerians. The Fulani herdsmen are also Nigerians. My only concern now is that there should be peace,” he said.
When asked to comment on the Grazing Reserve Bill currently before the Senate, he said: “Going forward, I don’t think taking other peoples’ lands and handing it to the Fulani cow breeders is in the interest of everybody.
“The federal lawmakers who do not buy into this grazing reserve of a thing should speak out now, rather than remain silent. They should support only bills that are for the general good of Nigerians. If FG gives peoples land to the herdsmen, how do you compensate the owners of the land across the country? Ranches should rather be provided for them,” he advised.
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Speaking on Nigeria’s cattle rearing system, he noted that going by the killings and destruction of properties by Fulani herdsmen, the time is ripe for the country to embrace the method of countries like the US, Netherlands and other European nations who are in business of breeding healthy cattle.
“In civilized world where they breed healthy cattle they don’t move cows from one far end of the country to another far end. The people who are into cattle business in Nigeria should learn from their counterparts in the West. You don’t need to move cows about and destroy lives and properties to be in business.
King Eze John Ikemefuna Akor
“In the West, they get a place for their cows and take grass to them there. They have ranches where cows are kept because it is a multi billion dollars business. I think we certainly can learn from them. If we have ranches for these herdsmen and their cows, I think we can bring the situation under control,” he said.
He laments that Nigeria’s retention of a medieval way of cattle business by carrying cows from one point to another, is a clear pointer that the country is lagging behind in terms of policy formulation.
“Something should be done about this policy before it’s too late. With the way the Fulani herdsmen are killing in almost all the communities they are, the government must do something very fast. President Buhari should act fast before activities of Fulani herdsmen spilt Nigeria.
“Remember the Boko Haram issue started like this! These Fulani herdsmen’ issue should be handled with outmost urgency so that it doesn’t degenerate to something more than us. Should this continue it is capable of splitting Nigeria in the future,” he said.
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He also advised that aside of providing ranches for the Fulani herdsmen, they also need orientation of the value for human lives; saying that nomadic lifestyle of the herdsmen can become a huge problem than it is now if not properly handled by the federal government.
“We have a huge problem before us but it can be surmounted. Although, I am not satisfied with the FG slow response to the issue, I still give them kudos for the recent efforts. The whole areas are now secured. The Enugu State government has also been very handy in helping us to quickly recover from the attack. We are expecting more from them,” he said.
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