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Tag: herdsmen

  • Govt: herdsmen must be law-abiding in Ogun

    Govt: herdsmen must be law-abiding in Ogun

    THE Ogun State government yesterday said people, including herdsmen, are free to enter the state provided they remain law-abiding.

    The government directed local government areas where herdsmen and farmers have clashed to take a census of residents and visitors.

    Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Taiwo Adeoluwa addressed reporters after the security council meeting at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, the capital.

    The government warned that it will invoke the anti-land-grabbing law to curtail the menace of herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, which it said had hit Yewa North Local Government Area.

    According to the SSG, the government will strengthen its conflict resolution committee,  established in 2012, to make it achieve more success.

    Adeoluwa said the government and security agencies would take a closer look at the activities of trans-border pastorialists who he blamed for most attacks in the state.

    He said: “All Nigerians would be welcome in Ogun State, but there are laws and rules that every stakeholder, every visitor, every herdsman, every farmer must comply with.

    “The one that is very key in the packs of local laws is what we call the Land Grabber Law, but the correct title is Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Land and Other Properties Law.

    “The council also took note that this law already provides for most of the contemporary challenges that confront us today as far as herdsmen, settlers and farmers are concerned.

    “Council reaffirmed government determination to continue to fully implement this law, which already prohibits forcible entry on lands.

    “Council decided that for us in Ogun State, we want everybody from all parts of the country and even outside but we will continue to insist that our laws be respected and obeyed.

    “Our existing conflict resolution committee is a standing committee that has been put in place since 2012 when the crisis first arose and we’ve decided to further strengthen the committee.

    “Council looked at the sister-issue of Boko Haram because as they are rooting them out of that place (Northeast), they are going to all other areas for refuge. Ogun State is not exempted from the collateral damage of the success in the Northeast.”

     

     

  • Soldiers kill vigilante, free ‘herdsmen’

    Soldiers kill vigilante, free ‘herdsmen’

    A member of a vigilance group at Obadolovbiyeyi community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government of Edo State, Mr. Efe Igbinovia, has been shot dead by soldiers.

    The soldiers were said to have released suspected herdsmen apprehended for alleged robbery.

    Eyewitnesses said members of the vigilance group had apprehended suspected herdsmen for alleged robbery on the Benin-Abraka Expressway and the deceased was asked to stay with them, while other members searched for fleeing herdsmen.

    They said armed men in military uniforms arrived in a Honda car, marked AP 641 KTN, shot dead Igbinovia and released the suspected herdsmen.

    A resident, Mr. Henry Osemwengie, said: “Two of the herdsmen were caught. Igbinovia was asked to stay with them. Before then, the police had been called to come and pick them (herdsmen) because that is what we normally do. Suddenly, a red Honda car with about four of them wearing military uniforms, arrived, carrying AK47 rifles. They started shooting.

    “Igbinovia shouted that he had been shot. When the other vigilance group members returned, they discovered that Igbinovia had been shot dead. The armed men went away with two herdsmen. Robbers, most of who are Hausa, usually operate there. They keep their cows by the side, block the road and rob people.”

    The deceased’s cousin, Mr. Onaghise Wilson, said his brother was allegedly shot dead by men in military uniforms, adding that they took the arrested herdsmen to hospital for treatment.

    The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Makinde Iskil, said some people have been apprehended.

    Police Commissioner Johnson Kokumo, who confirmed the incident, said: “The herdsmen were accused of blocking the expressway. Two of them are with the police undergoing interrogation.”

    On the alleged killing of a vigilance group member by men in military uniforms, Kokumo said: “This is an allegation we are investigating. Actually, one of the vigilance group members died on duty.”

    Spokesman for 4 Brigade Command Capt. Mohammed Maidawa said the troops sent to Ologbo for pipeline protection received a tip-off from the residents about a robbery.

    He said the troops mobilised to the scene and engaged armed men in a shootout, adding that unfortunately, one person identified as a member of the vigilance group, was mistakenly killed.

    “Preliminary investigation showed that the vigilance group also responded to a distress call about the robbery. Members of the group protested the incident, but the situation has been brought under control,” Maidawa said.

  • Law-abiding herdsmen, others welcome in Ogun – State govt

    Law-abiding herdsmen, others welcome in Ogun – State govt

    Ogun State government said on Wednesday all Nigerians, including herdsmen, are free to enter the state provided they are law -abiding.

    The government also directed local government areas where there are herdsmen and farmers crises to embark on enumeration of residents and visitors to know the people in the area.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa,  stated these during chat with journalists  after the States’ Security Council meeting held at the Governor’s Office, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta.

    He also warned that the government would not hesitate to invoke the recently passed anti – land-grabbing law to curtail the menace of herdsmen in the state.

    According to the SSG, the state government would strengthen its conflict resolution committee established in 2012 to make it achieve more success.

    He said the government and security agencies would take a closer look at the activities of the trans-border pasturialists who were responsible for most of the attacks in the state.

    “All Nigerians would be welcome in Ogun State but there are laws and rules that every stakeholder, every visitor, every herdsman and every farmer must comply with.

    “The one that is very key in the packs of local laws is what we call the land grabber law but the correct title is Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Land and other Properties Law.

    “The council also took note that this law already provides for most of the contemporary challenges that confronts us today as far as herdsmen, settlers and farmers are concerned.

    “Council reaffirmed government determination to continue to fully implement this law which already prohibits forcible entry on lands.

    “Council decided that for us in Ogun State, we want everybody from all parts of the country and even outside but we will continue to insist that our laws be respected and obeyed.

    “Our existing conflict resolution committee is a standing committee that has been put in place since 2012 when the crisis first arose and we have decided to further strengthen the committee.”

     

     

     

  • Govt allowed killings by herdsmen to fester, says Soyinka

    Govt allowed killings by herdsmen to fester, says Soyinka

    President Muhammadu Buhari is operating under a trance, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said yesterday.

    The sooner he gets out of that trance, Soyinka said, the better for the country.

    Prof. Soyinka, who spoke at a press conference on the damaging consequences of marauding herdsmen on the nation, noted the unforced errors going on in the nation.

    With the theme:  “Herdsmen and Nation:  Valentine Card or Valedictory Rites?” the dramatist gave an analogical tale of a state whose master’s insensitivity allows for the overbearing actions of his subjects.

    He lamented that mass destruction of farmlands in the most horrifying manner had become a norm, festering with the encouragement of the government’s body language.

    Soyinka described as appalling the position of the Inspector General of Police that the loss of lives in Benue State, and consequent increase in the number of internal refugees, was simply a communual clash.

    In his view, little will be achieved in security without  state police.

    “If the IG can sit in Abuja and say of an event that is happening under the jurisdiction of a governor in another state is just a communal clash when people are being slaughtered and their villages are being occupied, it shows complete alienation. Then there is  the authority of Governors who have the ultimate authority for security. It is the governor who is supposed to be the chief security officer. We are now back to authoritative voices saying indeed, state police need to be decentralised. We have been saying it and others  have been saying for a long time. We are now getting back to the commonsensical issue that the nation cannot function under a single police command,” he said.

    Acknowledging, however, that the Nigerian Army has done marvelously in degrading the capacity of the Boko-Haram insurgents, the poet-activist said “it must now turn around to face another phenomenon which is considered in some international circles deadlier than the Boko-Haram”.

    According to him, the containing efforts happening now should have begun six months as he expected the force to have immediately transferred its concentration from operations, such as Python Dance and Crocodile Smile to where the heat was.

    He said the security agencies have the responsibility to look at highly-placed people in whose interest anarchy can be fostered.

    Soyinka added: “Why colonies were brought in to complicate things, I do not know. Ranches; that’s the word used everywhere. There is no organized illegal force that does not sooner or later spin up. Are these internally generated or are they being launhed by individuals who in their interest the nation must be in a state of anarchy? We sometimes talk about corruption but we don’t understand how far corruption goes. When you think of the amount being stolen in this country, enough funds illegal fund to destabilise the country. We might end up discovering that some of these people profit from ensuring there is chaos from Maiduguri to Lagos.”

    Speaking on restructuring, Soyinka said: “Sooner or later, people will recognise the fact it’s not broken record they are listening to, it’s their hearing that is impaired. In other words, we have been shouting restructuring, now its inevitability has always been stressed. The internal relationship of the units of this country be decentralised. And anytime you talk about restructuring, you hear this gibberish that the sovereignty of this country will not be compromised. Who is talking about sovereignty? We are saying the internal components of the country needed to be addressed … We must decentralise governance.”

    Asked what he would tell President Buhari if he met him, the Nobel laureate said: “I would say: Mr President, I think you are under a trance. “The sooner he gets out of it the better. So many unforced errors are going on,” he added.

    Prof. Soyinka cited Buhari’s recall of the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, after he was suspended for alleged graft by Minister of Health Isaac Adewole, as a recent example of the unforced errors that have characterised the administration.

  • Benue, Nasarawa herdsmen embrace anti-open grazing law, says Umahi

    Benue, Nasarawa herdsmen embrace anti-open grazing law, says Umahi

    Leader of the sub technical committee of the National Economic Council mediating between farmers and herdsmen, Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, said yesterday Fulani herdsmen  in Benue and Nasarawa states have agreed  to  adhere to the anti- open grazing law but pleaded for more time.

    Umahi, who gave reporters the outcome of the panel’s visit to Benue and Nasarawa states, said the herdsmen pleaded to be given enough time to  commence ranching and or move to states with grazing reserves.

    “The cheering news is that the herdsmen in Benue and Nasarawa states are ready to abide by the law but that they would need more time for ranching and support from the Federal Government,” he said.

    He said: “We as a committee noted that there are over two million hectares of land across 19 northern Nigeria and over one million of them have been already gazetted as grazing reserve and this one million is already developed.

    “There is a place in Gombe State that about 375 hectares are developed as grazing reserve. We have 74,000 hactare in Kaduna and there is another location that has over 150,000 hectares of land that have already been developed.”

    Umahi said there was need for the Federal Government to help in the development of grazing reserves and  to start  seeing  animal husbandry as economic venture by giving soft loans to owners.

    He said: “The Federal Government should begin development of grazing reserves. The CBN anchor borrower scheme that has succeeded  in agricultural sector should  be extended to animal husbandry, the animal husbandry should be  seen as economic venture for government  to invest in by giving soft loan”.

    He noted that the Federal Government through NEMA  needed  to come to the aid of both states , saying, ‘because there is no amount of the states’ resources that can assist the people in the camps.’

    While stating that there were over 110,000  displaced persons in the seven designated camps in Benue State, the governor  said: “Children between the ages of four and eight constitute 70%  of the population and the conditions we saw them is not palatable.”

    “We owe it a duty to give better lives to these people.”

    Umahi said the committee observed that  governors of Nasarawa and Benue states were committed to peace as identified by the security agencies.

    “It was observed that both governors shared information, opinions and there is no crisis between them”, Governor Umahi said.

    He added that all parties (both herdsmen and farmers) talked   about invasion by undocumented herdsmen that come from other countries and demanded that they should follow international ECOWAS  rules and that all their cattle  must be quarantined.

    Umahi said that the Fulani denied the claim of conquest of Benue valley shifting the blame on the social media The committee members arrived in Makurdi, Benue State capital on Saturday on fact-finding mission to look for ways to proffer lasting solution to the incessant crises between farmers and herdsmen across the country.

    Umahi said the sub technical committee met with all the stakeholders both in Benue and Masarawa states.

    According to him, ‘the committee met with leaders  and farmers  in Benue State as well as  Benue herdsmen already relocated to Nasarawa and the herdsmen resident in Nasarawa so also the Tiv indigenes of Nasarwa state.’

    “We have agreed by all parties to these unfortunate incidents that we will pursue peace and that all those with illegal weapons must be arrested

    He also applauded the security operatives in both states but called on more deployment of troops to assist in early decongestion of the camps

  • Herdsmen/farmers clashes: NSCDC trains 1,500 in arms

    Herdsmen/farmers clashes: NSCDC trains 1,500 in arms

    After a three-month training in arms-bearing, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has graduated about 1,500 officers who will be engaged as agro-rangers to check the herdsmen-farmers clashes in the country.

    The corps has also decorated about 3,953 promoted officers, two of whom now Assistant Comptrollers-General, and 45 Commandants.

    Speaking during the decoration ceremony in Abuja, Comptroller General of the Corps, Gana Muhammadu, said part of the newly trained officers were expected to be deployed to ensure the success of the agro-rangers programme.

    The CG said: “The staff welfare is my topmost priority which includes training. Just last week Friday, 1,500 of our men graduated from a three months arms training in preparation of the commencement of agro-rangers and solid minerals protection.

    “And part of which we also intend to deploy to Borno to join the earlier 3,700 of our men posted to liberated areas in the North-east,” he said.

    While urging the newly promoted officers to be dedicated to duties, the Gana said the federal government has given the corps additional tasks, “so you must not fail the federal government and the Board who ensured your promotion.”

    While congratulating the staff on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Secretary of the Board who stood in for the Minister, Bassey Emmanuel tasked the promoted officers to live above expectations.

    According to him, “promotion is a privilege why because you may meet all the criteria but no vacancy for you. So, for those of you who are promoted it is recognition from the authority. So, you must not let the authority down. Your CG has recommended you.

    “This board which I am a member will ensure that highest standard is met. Now with your promotion you must continue to work harder except you are not aspiring to go higher. Again, you must be loyal to your organisation to the system, to the nation and all those that have been placed above you.”

     

  • Herdsmen destroy UNILORIN farm, poison dam

    Herdsmen destroy UNILORIN farm, poison dam

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, has decried the destruction of the University’s multi-million naira research and training farms by herdsmen, who also poisoned the dam with chemicals.

    According to the University weekly Bulletin issued on Monday, the management of the institution last Thursday held a security meeting with the leaders of the 11 Fulani settlements on the University land.

    The publication quoted the vice-chancellor as saying that economic trees’ were destroyed by cattle grazing on the vast land of the institution.

    The meeting was attended by representatives of law enforcement agencies comprising of the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    At the meeting held at the institution’s Auditorium Basement, Prof. Abdulkareem disclosed that the University management would no longer tolerate illegal grazing of cows on its land.

    He, therefore, told the illegal settlers, who have started building permanent structures to vacate the University land in the interest of peace.

    According to him, this was coming almost a year after the University authorities first issued a quit notice to the illegal settlers.

    Abdulkareem recalled that the University management had on April 26, 2017 handed down a seven-day ultimatum to the Fulani herdsmen encroaching on the University land to quit the campus, but the quit notice was never complied with.

    The vice-chancellor also noted that on May 11, 2017, 28 persons, comprising Fulani herdsmen, Yoruba and Hausa farmers, were dragged to an Ilorin Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly trespassing into the University land, destroying the school’s plantation and perpetrating other unauthorized activities on the University campus.

    He explained that the accused persons were alleged to have resorted to poisoning the institution’s dam with chemicals, while also engaging in illegal felling of economic trees from which they made charcoal.

    However, at last Thursday’s meeting, the Vice-Chancellor clearly told the Fulani settlers that “enough is enough”.

    The VC warned that the University could no longer condone the destructive activities of their grazing cattle on the University land, as this is becoming too costly for the institution to bear.

    According to the institution’s publication, herdsmen from 11 communities took turns to speak at the meeting.

    The Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Usman Adamu, told the University management that the herdsmen destroying the University farm land were not living in the community.

    He said that there were other ethnic groups embarking on illegal activities like logging, and were not Fulani.

  • Two policemen missing in Benue herdsmen attack

    Two policemen missing in Benue herdsmen attack

    The Benue State Police command at the weekend declared four of their men missing after a patrol vehicle in which they operated was set ablaze.

    It was ambushed by suspected herdsmen in Logo Local Government.

    The incident occurred in Tse Akpam village, Azege, Mbaya, Tombo ward on Saturday.

    It was gathered that the police patrol team came under attack when they responded to a distress call that herdsmen and their cattle were destroying crops and setting houses ablaze in Tse Akpam village.

    A community leader in Azege, Unande Timothy, said on telephone that the police patrol team went after the herdsmen.

    He said at a point there was no road for the patrol vehicle and they parked the van and continued to chase the suspects on foot.

    According to Unande, some herdsmen retreated to set the patrol vehicle ablaze.

    Benue State police spokesman Moses Yamiu, said the police had launched a search for their missing men who he said were on confidence-building patrol when they were ambushed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    Yamu confirmed that the herdsmen set their vehicle ablaze.

    However, two of the missing policemen returned unhurt. Benue State police commissioner Fatai Owoseni confirmed their return.

    He said “Two officers rejoined their colleagues. Unhurt. Hoping to see the remaining two.”

    Suspected herdsmen still continued with their killings at the weekend with attacks on palm wine tappers in Kaduna and policemen in Benue.

    They were linked with the killing of four persons and injuring of one in an attack on Bakin Kogi village in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State yesterday.

    It was learnt that the victims were palm wine tappers who came from other communities to conduct their business.

    A source told our correspondent on telephone that four of the palm wine tappers were attacked and killed in the bush. One escaped with serious injury.

    He said: “Those killed were palm wine tappers, but they are not members of the community. They do come from another community.

    “They were tapping palm wine when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen. I cannot tell you where they came from for now. But they are not from our community here.

    “Policemen have visited the place and evacuated their bodies. The area is calm as I speak with you.”

    Another source claimed that “the attackers in their numbers around 9am, stormed the village from the outskirt, and shot sporadically at innocent persons, killing four and injuring one.

    “Other people at the scene escaped unhurt while the victims died of bullet wounds,” the source added.

    Commissioner of Police Austin Iwar requested for more time to confirm the story.

    “I cannot confirm this to you now. Give me till tomorrow,” he said.

    The Command’s spokesman, ASP Mukhtar Aliyu, was quoted to have confirmed the incident though he was yet to get full details as at press time.

    “The police spokesman in the district and the Area Commander said they were collating assessment reports in the affected community,” he said.

    Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi 11 yesterday advised herders to rein in the criminals among them.

    He also urged them to imbibe the culture of patience and perseverance even in the face of provocation by farmers or their local community.

    The Emire spoke at the weekend in Minna, the Niger State capital, during a meeting between traditional rulers/North’s leaders and Fulani herders’ associations organised to end  killings and incessant clashes between herders and farmers.

    He urged stakeholders to liaise with governors of Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa and Kano states who had indicated interest to allocate grazing reserves, with a view to developing such land to house their cattle.

    . Emir Sanusi said Fulani “are neither terrorists nor criminals “as perceived by some Nigerians. He described them as law abiding citizens who respect constituted authorities.

    He urged Nigerians to avoid ethnic profiling whenever a crime is committed by persons of certain tribe, adding that criminals have no tribal marks.

    The Lamido of Adamawa,  Muhammadu Barkindo Musdafa, attended the meeting. Former Ahmadu Bello University Vice Chancelor Prof. Ango Abdullahi and Dr. Aliyu Tilde, among others, were there.

    They met with the leadershipof Fulani socio-cultural groups, such as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBA), Miyetti Allah Katul Houre and Gan Allah Fulani Development Association.

    The Zonal Chairman of the National Executive Committee of MACBA, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, said governors ought to emulate Governors Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi  (Enugu) who had effectively stemmed the recurring clashes between farmers and herders in their states when other governors and the Federal Government were at a loss on what to do.

    He said the two governors were open-minded in their approach to tackling the clashes, adding that through stakeholders meetings which included the leadership of the herders associations, farmers’ unions, traditional rulers and community leaders across all the local government areas, they understood the causes of the clashes and found amicable ways of addressing them.

    Siddiki said measures, which had worked in stemming the tide of violent conflicts among herders and farmers in the two states, should serve as models to other governors.

    “Conflict between herdsmen and farmers has a long history; the solution has been to engage all stakeholders to find an amicable of resolving such,” he noted and urged politicians “to avoid exacerbating the conflict for selfish reasons”.

  • Suspected herdsmen kill farmer in Ekiti 

    Suspected herdsmen kill farmer in Ekiti 

    Suspected herdsmen struck again in Ekiti State yesterday, killing a farmer, Tunde Olayemi, in Ipao-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government.

    Olayemi, who was a commercial motorcyclist, was killed by those referred to by the locals as “Bororo herdsmen” while returning from his farm.

    The father of two who had gone to his farm to harvest cassava was said to have been accosted alongside a friend by the herdsmen who gave them a hot chase before catching up with the victim.

    The killing has created panic in Ipao and other neighbouring communities, like Oke-Ako and Irele where the herdsmen had killed some residents.

    The latest attack occurred after suspected herdsmen attacked the Orin Farm Settlement in Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area where they killed an expectant Tiv farmer.

    Ikole Local Government Chairman Mrs Abiola Ajayi, in a telephone chat last night, said the police had visited the community and evacuated Olayemi’s body.

    Mrs. Ajayi said: “The deceased was an okada man who has a farm in the settlement. He had gone to his farm to harvest some cassava. He was with one other person.

    “They were heading back to town from the farm and had loaded the motorbike with cassava when they saw some Fulani herdsmen coming towards them.

    “They were said to have been surprised at seeing the herdsmen, who brought out their gun. The two farmers ran for dear lives.

    “The Bororos were said to have pursued the two men and eventually got Olayemi who was killed like a cow.

    “We have reported the matter to the nearest police station and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) has since swung into action and sent two vehicles and they have gone to the scene of the murder to take the corpse and also commence investigation.”

    The leader of the local hunters in Ipao, Mr. Adebayo Odeyemi, said they would fish out the killers in collaboration with security agencies.

    Describing the attack as “unprovoked”, he vowed that the scenario won’t be allowed to repeat itself again.

    Odeyemi said: “We haven’t attacked any herdsman but they have killed one now and right now we will ensure they are not allowed to do this again.

    “We are valiant men not cowards and we will face them this time around. They have massacred one of us mercilessly and this won’t happen again.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi could not be reached last night.

  • Women protest herdsmen killings

    Women protest herdsmen killings

    VIOLENCE against women, inequality and health challenges are some of the issues that give women a lot of concern across the country. To reduce these challenges, a number of efforts have been in place and things appear to be getting better.

    Just while the women are counting their gains, the challenge of insecurity, through kidnappings, Boko Haram and the recent killings by herdsmen brought new challenges and the women say they are usually the casualties because many have lost loved ones, family members and associates this way.

    With tears and lamentation, the Lagos branch of a popular women group known as Lagoswomen2030 staged a protest march against the brutal and organised killings of Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen. The march started from the Lagos Television (LTV) complex to the House of Assembly, Governor’s Office Alausa – Ikeja, Lagos State.

    The protest was to show their disdain for the increasing nature of insurgency, terrorism, armed robbery, kidnappings, corruption and ethnic crises which had plagued the country recently. According to the women, all this has constituted a devastating threat to security, lives and properties of its citizens and as a result caused severe hindrance to meaningful development in the country.

    “The most recent example of this devastating threat to national security is the occurrence at the beginning of the year. The first day of every new year, January 1st, is supposed and expected to be a joyous and eventful day, a day that is usually celebrated and filled with happiness and bliss. However, the first day of the year 2018 in Nigeria was marked and filled with deaths of more than 80 citizens, throwing the country into a sorrowful atmosphere.”

    The women wrote in their statement that their association has condemned the incessant, irrational, senseless and barbaric killings in various states of the federation, most especially in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states as result of herdsmen and farmers clashes.

    The women who were clad in black attires came out to voice their emotions and urged the government to do something before the situation goes out of hand. According to the coordinator, Kate Duru, the primary aim of government is to ensure security of life and property, “hence we call on government at all levels to confront the growing sense of uncertainty and fear by taking action to reassure all that is a clear pathway to equity, unity and security in  the country. We also call on all parties in the crisis to desist from further use of negative languages that might escalate the situation at hand.”

    Mrs Ngozi Nwosu Juba who is a member of the women’s group expressed her worries and fears about the country’s security. She said that “we are worried that the government has failed us in the area of securing our lives and properties and this is because on daily basis we hear news of women being killed, ripped open, especially pregnant women, young boys and girls are killed in their farms where they have gone for means of sustenance. As Lagos women, we are saying the government has to wake up and do something about these unnecessary killings. The government should ensure that women are secured in their farms. The farm is their places of work, they should ensure that while they are there trying to feed their country they are protected.”

    The executive director of Community Women Society, Mr. Lateef Kayode Akinborode, said, “we learnt that the Fulani herdsmen are killing women and children over there in Benue which we believe is not proper. If any crisis wants to happen, it affects women more than men; so we believe that there must be security for our people, particularly women and the children. If anything affects the women, it affects the whole world and, now, our aim is to see the government do something to stop all these crises affecting the women and children.” He concluded by asking the government to come up with some actions to put security on ground to save women from such dastardly acts.

    Coordinator of Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation, Mrs. Matilda Olajumoke Otitoloju, decried the situation where women and children are being killed by Fulani herdsmen. “We voted them for change we didn’t vote them to be killing us; we didn’t vote them to killing our children mothers and fathers. We want them to realise what is going on and let there be change in the situation,” she concluded.