 |
| Igbo woman massacred and rapped. |
Nothing offends the sensibilities more than unnecessary or avoidable loss of life. Nothing. The killing of 20 in Ukpabi Nimbo community in the Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State yesterday, was one more of a long history of slayings, stemming from common disagreements. In February more than 40 were slaughtered in Agatu, Benue state and over 2,000 were injured.
This has been going on for way too long. It is not a one sided story, and some herdsmen have lost their lives in these clashes, but the wanton deaths are happening because the herdsmen are literally showing up to fist fights, armed with guns and machetes. The Enugu incident was not just a bunch of herdsmen passing through, it was a planned "invasion", where much more than the herdsmen overran the villages, sending host communities scampering for dear lives.
Herdsmen from neighboring countries like Chad have also attacked communities in Benue state in the past, taking advantage of the porous borders. Agrarian communities and cattle herders have historically been at logger heads, by the very nature of their occupations being diametrically opposed. This cannot keep happening, whatever short term measures the government can put in place to make sure that one more life is not lost, needs to happen with immediate alacrity.
This problem aside from the insurgency, has the greatest potential to compromise the peace and security of our country. Word is that there are plans to build grazing reserves and ban movement of cattle, but that seems more like a long term solution.
While the usual mischief makers may want to use this latest incident in Enugu state to fan more flames of discord, they need to remember that families have lost loved ones, and entire communities are grieving right now. This is not the time to play the (usual) "Buhari is a Fulani" card. Recall that "less than a week to the exit of the last government, over 100 persons, mostly women, children and the elderly, were slaughtered in villages and refugee camps located at Ukura, Gafa, Per and Tse-Gusa at Ukemgbiraghia Twarev Ward, in Logo local government area, in one of the bloodiest attacks on Benue communities by suspected herdsmen." (Vanguard Feb.28, 2016.) Might also be worthy to point out that these clashes are not unique to us, they happen all over the world, (as far away as Australia), anywhere there is nomadic cattle activity and farmland. Lastly, unlawful killings MUST be handled by law enforcement and perpetrators must be punished, just like any other persons that commit crimes of that magnitude.
There is no justification, and there should be no forbearance, for taking the life of another human being because they chased your cattle off their farmland. May the souls of the dead rest in peace....
agatu massacre.
