The Horn-Locking Exercise: State Governors versus Herdsmen …

Ondo State has been in the news for months now for the high rate of kidnapping, armed robbery, murder and callous attacks on citizens travelling on the highways, in broad daylight, by criminals hiding in the bushes and forest reserves and suspected to be herdsmen.
#EndInsecurity

The story is the same all over the country - brazen criminals, masquerading as herdsmen attacking, maiming and killing innocent people, even razing down whole communities with impunity. Farmers have been some of the hardest hit, with loss of lives and property.
#EndInsecurity

Some of the scenario described by the farmers include; farms invaded/crops destroyed and farmers kidnapped/murdered/injured in unprovoked attacks by the criminals; crops harvested illegally to feed their cattle, farms razed in arson attacks, ambush attacks, etc.
#EndInsecurity

Today, there are terrorists in the NE; bandits in the NW; kidnappers-for-ransom on the highways; & criminal herdsmen (+ others) attacking the rest of the country. In most cases, the criminals are alleged to be herdsmen of Fulani extraction, carrying AK-47 rifles.
#EndInsecurity

Farmers have tried to resist the attacks; reported to the security agencies; and even engaged the leaders of the residents of northern extraction but with no respite - the attacks simply continued. The justice system has also failed to get justice for the victims.
#EndInsecurity

The Ondo State govt (other states too) seems to have been sufficiently, provoked, after unabated attacks, to go after the criminals... and right before our eyes, issues of ethnicity and politics seem more important than governance - protection of lives/property.
#EndInsecurity

But few seem to seriously connect these incessant attacks on farmers & the destruction of farms/farm produce over these past 5-10 years with the scarcity/high cost of food items starring us in the face & the potential of increasing poverty/hunger in the populace.

#EndInsecurity

Now that the state governments have placed bans on cattle herding and illegal grazing in order to contain the spreading criminality, can we, for the umpteenth time;
1. Ask the security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities of maintaining law and order?
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If the herdsmen alleged to be the criminals are foreigners, as is being suggested by the nation's top security officers, does that grant them immunity from arrest and prosecution for offences committed? If no, why are they walking free and causing more havoc?

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2. Isn't it time for the herdsmen to be given the encouragement and support to embrace ranching rather than roaming their grazing cattle through communities and farms and providing cover for irredeemable criminal elements on rampage, giving them a bad name?

#EndInsecurity

3. What about the National Livestock Transformation Plan? Is it still being implemented? Will it contain the insecurity across the country as a result of herding of cattle and attendant clashes with farmers/communities? Has this been communicated to the herdsmen?
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4. Can politicians and ethnic jingoists allow for a quick resolution of this traumatic situation without descending into stereotyping and religious hostilities which will lead nowhere except to chaos and worse insecurity? Can we simply separate the criminals?

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5. Can we dare to ask for an improved criminal justice system? These criminals are testing our security and justice system, committing crimes and getting away with it, or at the worst, a slap on the wrist. Our citizens are fast losing faith in their own country.
#EndInsecurity

Our farmers deserve a better treatment from government - Federal, State and LGA. They shouldn't have to lose their lives/livelihoods to criminals because government has refused to protect them. That is unacceptable. We can't develop the industry this way! End.

#EndInsecurity