For well over 7 years, Nigeria and Nigerians have been under the murderous claws of two separate and apparently unrelated terrorist groups. Boko Haram captured the world attention because of the capture of the Chibok girls, the other terrorist group that equals Boko Haram, in matters of savagery, have largely been left to their own devices. Hardly a day goes by without women being raped, traditional rulers being killed or kidnapped, elder statesmen abducted, villages destroyed and whole communities murdered by this group of murderous nomadic terrorists.
This group of roaming terrorists represents an existential threat to Nigeria’s stability as well as a major source of sabotage to Nigeria’s food independence. Their actions are a threat to Nigeria in two ways. Firstly, they are destroying food crops that are planted all over the country and therefore depriving Nigeria of vital income, GDP growth and food.
Agriculture represents the single largest part of Nigeria’s GDP at the current time. The activity of any terrorist group that impedes this vital sector of the economy is effectively sabotaging the economy of the Nigerian nation. One should not have to emphasize the need for security that every Nigerian community needs and requires.
Bizarrely, and in the face of this clear and present danger, we have the Nigerian security service that seems to be more concerned with protecting these terrorists from the activities of cattle rustlers! Cattle rustlers steal property but do not engage in the kind of murderous activities engaged by the terrorist herders. Whilst theft is a crime and needs to be fought, it is a danger that falls significantly low in the list of present dangers within Nigeria (especially the murderous terrorist activities of the Fulani herders).
DSS
The DSS and its incompetent DG has been asleep at the wheel since his appointment. His major pre-occupation has been to harass members of the Ekiti state legislators and state cabinet. He appears more concerned with political threats to the person of the president than threats to the Nigerian state. He appears oblivious of the fact that in a democracy, people are allowed to democratically remove or take over from the current occupier of the seat of the Presidency. Criticizing the president or undermining the president through democratic means are part of party politics. Under his very nose, multiple bomb blasts by Boko Haram have occurred. When added to the death of people by the terrorist Fulani herdsmen, well over thousands of people have been killed during the tenure of DG Daura.
The main purpose of the DSS is to protect the home land from internal threats. It is the responsibility of the DSS to prevent bomb blasts and the terrorist activities of the Fulani “herders”. One finds it difficult to believe that murderous Fulani herdsmen with hundreds of cattle cannot be monitored or apprehended after their murderous frenzy. We have a situation where a non violent (even if irritating) Biafran movement are recklessly and murderously killed by security agents whilst the murderous Fulani “herdsmen” are left to wonder the Nigerian landscape unhindered.
Federal Government Response
One is most disappointed in the time it took the current federal government to respond to acts of genocide perpetrated in Benue state. The shameful interview by Al jezeera with President Buhari about the non violent Biafran activists was worrying. When asked whether he would discuss matters with the agitators, Buhari said “no”. I have no problem with such a response. I am appalled and disgusted that the murderous activities of the terrorist Fulani “herdsmen” are (without any discussions) being considered for rights of grazing all over Nigeria in response to their murderous terrorist activities. One former governor and current senator (with no sense of shame or common sense) justified the murderous activities of this terrorist group by blaming it on a lack of education. The grazing area idea is nothing but a capitulation to terrorists and should be opposed by all senators and house of reps members with any sense of right and wrong.
State Representatives
The people of various states have however been significantly let down by their various state governors and state house of assembly members. Whilst there is freedom of movement of all Nigerians throughout Nigeria, there is no freedom of movement of cattle (large scale or otherwise) across Nigeria. There is no good reason why various states have not passed legislation precluding cattle from moving within their states. What we have today are a group of elected officials that have sat on their hands whilst waiting for a Fulani led federal government to control the menace of the terrorist Fulani “herdsmen”.
It is time for people to put pressure on their state elected officers to pass restrictive laws preventing the movement of cattle within their respective states. Once passed, the pressure will be on the federal police to implement the law. If they do not, then it would be time to internationalize the issue and if possible ensure the trial of the entire Nigerian leadership for complicity in genocide.
Conclusion
For too long, the silent majority have had to live under the menace of a murderous band of terrorist “herdsmen”. The DSS and the military under Jonathan and Buhari have largely failed to protect the people. They have mainly focused on rewarding a murderous band of terrorists with free grazing land instead of putting such murderers in prison where they truly belong. It is time for the international community to make it clear to the Nigerian government what its obligations to the people of Nigeria are. If it is incapable of protecting communities within Nigeria it should allow all persons to carry weapons for their own defense or it should resign and allow a government that is better able to defend and protect Nigerians. Buhari should be aware of the fact that he won elections because most Nigerians were of the view that former president Jonathan could not protect Nigeria and Nigerians from Boko Haram. He will be thrown out once it becomes apparent that he cannot, or will not, protect and defend Nigerians from both Boko Haram and the Fulani terrorists.
Leave a Reply