Major Gen. Edward Nze, the head of Defense Headquarters Committee on Persistent Clashes between Herdsmen and Farmers, has said that the persistent Fulani herdsmen attacks on Nigerian communities could assume the menace Boko Haram if the attacks remain unchallenged.
Punch reports Nze saying the chief of defense staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, was worried that the clashes between herdsmen and farmers were beginning to threaten national security and must needs be checked to curtail their excesses.
Nze spoke when he paid a courtesy call on the acting governor of Benue State, Benson Abuonu at the Benue Peoples’ House on Friday April 29, 2016.
He said the committee had visited Nasarawa State, adding that it would proceed to Enugu State after the assessment of the situation in Benue State.
Nze told the acting governor that the committee would visit the ravaged communities of Agatu, Kwande and Logo to assess the level of attacks and the destruction in the areas.
Abounu told the committee’s boss that the atrocities committed by herdsmen and the dimension of the damage caused in Agatu and other communities in the state could not be said to have been perpetrated by the ordinary Fulani herdsmen, calling on the authorities for more investigation.
“In Agatu, more than six large communities were razed down and taken over by the herdsmen; we believe this is beyond some group of people seeking grazing land,” he noted.
While emphasising that Nigeria was battling with a national problem, Abounu added that if no firm action was taken, the herdsmen menace would soon pose problems similar in nature to the Boko Haram insurgency.
“We know that the constitution guarantees freedom of movement, it does not warrant burning of houses, killing and taking over the people’s land.
“As we speak, same devastation has taken place in Tarka, Kwande, Logo and Buruku local government areas of the state. They kill in a most brutal manner. They are in black uniform, with AK 47 rifles. They are well trained; we believe they are from beyond Nigeria,” the deputy governor said.
