While Boko Haram terrorist, that have grabbed global headlines, now seem to be reducing in of frequency of their attacks, another age-old conflict is slowing resurfacing in Nigeria with next to no media coverage outside the country. Pressured by the conflict between change weather patterns, modern agricultural economics and a centuries-old tradition, it now threatens to explode into a full-scale crises.
Nomadic Fulani herdsmen, under the umbrella group, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, dismissed the ultimatums given by different groups across the country for them to vacate the southern part of the country. They described such restriction as unconstitutional.
This is despite the fact that groups, including foremost Yoruba farmers’ pressure group and ethnic militia, Agbekoya Farmers Association of Nigeria in the South-West; the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (South-East); the Independent Peoples of Biafra (South-East); and some ex-Niger Delta militants in the South-South, stated their readiness to defend their territories should herdsmen attack their communities again.
According to SBM Intelligence, a socio-political consulting firm, there have been 389 incidents involving herdsmen and farming communities between 1997 and 2015, with 371 of these attacks happening after 2011 in the Middle Belt. It is believed many more are not reported.
Suspected Fulani herdsmen, who grazed their cattle from the northern part of the country to the southern part, had been accused of killing, raping and robbing members of their host communities.
The Enugu incident, where several lives were lost, was the most recent.
But the herdsmen, in separate interviews with our correspondents on Saturday, noted that it was wrong for people to restrict their movement as the constitution guaranteed their movement into any part of the country.
The Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Plateau State, Mr. Nuru Abdullahi, said nobody could deprive Fulani herdsmen of their constitutional right of free movement.
Abdullahi said, “Why would they ask them not to go to the southern part of the country? It is their constitutional right to move freely as guaranteed by the laws of the land. What the various governments and security agencies should do is to prevent attacks and counter-attacks and such things that breed violence like cattle rustling and trespassing into farmlands.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of movement for every citizen of the country; this includes the right to live, work and carry out any legitimate activity in any part of the country. If and when you breach this freedom, then, the law should deal with you. So, asking anybody not to go to any part of the country is unconstitutional.”
Also, the Chairman, MCBAN, North-West Zone, Mr. Ardo Ahmadu Suleiman, warned against criminalising all Fulani herdsmen over the attacks.
He said, “We are law abiding citizens of Nigeria. The constitution forbids anybody or group from banning anybody’s movement from one part of the country to another. We have been staying peacefully with tribes across the country for ages. Therefore, for anyone to say he wants to ban Fulani from entering their land is uncalled for.”
However, several socio-cultural and militia groups in the southern part of the country on Saturday stated their readiness to reject the invasion of their communities by Fulani herdsmen.
Agbekoya, a Yoruba group, gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to stop the incessant attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on farmers in Yorubaland even as it vowed to retaliate any attack on its members.
A related factor in these ongoing conflicts is the persistent refusal by the herdsmen to embrace ranching for their animals, citing cultural reasons for sticking to nomadic rearing. This is despite some research showing ranching results in better meat products and hides and skin, provides easier access to agricultural extension and veterinary services and will bring in more income to the herders.
MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, lamented that Igbo people had been “talking and talking” while they watched their people being killed. He stated that it was time for “action” to end killings by herdsmen. He said, “The Fulani herdsmen are cowards. After the recent attacks, they ran away. If they mean business, let them wait for Ndi’gbo and we will engage them man-to-man.
“It will be demeaning to ask us if we have the capability to confront them.”
IPOB, another Igbo group alleged that Boko Haram fighters has been disguising as herdsmen to attack parts of the country.
According to the IPOB Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emma Powerful, the group would not be at the forefront of reprisals against criminal herdsmen in the region but would encourage those under attack to defend and retaliate in self defence.
He said, “The world is watching IPOB; the plan was for us to retaliate the attacks by Fulani herdsmen but we will not do so. Rather, we will ask those who are under attack to defend themselves or get killed.
“The international rule is that you have the right to self defence if your life is under threat; security agencies know that. Face whatever or whoever is going to kill you or you die.”
Another Yoruba group, Oodua Peoples Congress, said although the Yoruba were perceived as accommodating, the group would not sit by and pretend as if all was well.
The National Coordinator of the OPC, Mr. Gani Adams, told newsmen, “Nowadays, it is becoming too rampant in the South-West. Now, nobody is provoking the Fulani herdsmen; they are the ones taking laws into their hands, killing and maiming innocent people in their (victims’) communities.
Christian Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Nigerian Students have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to come out boldly and tackle the problem.
The Chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern States, Rev. Yakubu Pam, said the President needed to be courageous in tackling his own people and condemning their terrible activities.
In an article in the The Guardian, Alhaji Muhammad Rimindako, National President of Billital Maroobe Pastoralists Association (BILMPAN), blames the absence of grazing reserves, demarcated cattle routes and unemployment for cattle rustling across states in the North and which is now spreading to the south.
“Almost all the grazing reserves are no more. They have become farmlands. As a result, unemployment bites hard on our youth. For instance, Rahama Roundabout to Tudun Wada (on the way from Kano to Tudun Wada local government area of the state) used to have grazing lands on all sides. Today, that has changed
