A group of senior lawyers, under
the aegis of Lawyers Alert, has expressed worry over what it described as
President Muhammadu Buhari’s non-responsiveness to incessant killings and
destruction of properties by marauding herdsmen in Benue, Taraba and other
parts of the country.
The group also demanded the
immediate resignation of the Inspect General of Police, Ibrahim Idris for
allegedly being increasingly partisan.
In a statement signed by its
President, Rommy Mom, the group said it was disturbing that President Buhari
had not, up till now, visited Benue State and other areas pillaged by herdsmen.
According to them, Buhari has
stayed “largely quiet” on the matter, adding that the “implication of what is
happening in Benue State is the apparent notion that herdsmen are somehow above
the law.”
The lawyers continued that,
“While these attacks did not begin with Buhari’s administration, the killings
appear to have escalated dramatically under Buhari’s watch.
“Rather than comprehensively
addressing the issue and protecting citizens’ right to life, the Buhari
administration is exhibiting the same helplessness Nigerians experienced with
the Jonathan administration’s handling of the Boko Haram threat.
“For instance, Jonathan chose not
to visit Borno even as Boko Haram ruthlessly plundered its way across most
parts of the north and gradually earned a reputation as the most vicious terror
group in the world. By the same token, President Buhari is yet to visit
especially Benue, the state most pillaged by herdsmen.
“In fact, a recent state visit
that took him to neighbouring Nasarawa State on February 6, 2018, somehow
neglected to include a stopover in Benue as part of the itinerary.
”On the whole, the implications
of what is happening in Benue is massive. The entire Benue valley/basin is now
an unsecured environment wherein farmers can no longer go to their farms.
‘’IDP camps have become a regular
feature even as Benue remains in the top 4 states with a high population of
IDPs as reported by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.
“According to the IDMC, Benue has
approximately 85,393 (eighty five thousand, three hundred and ninety three)
displaced persons and these are even figures from 2015.
“For a Government that prides
itself on the need to diversify our economy in favor of agriculture and food
security, its response to the crisis exhibits either an abject lack of commitment
to that pledge or dismal ignorance of the vital role Benue plays in the
agriculture sector in Nigeria.
“Another implication of what is
happening in Benue is the apparent notion that herdsman are somehow above the
law. Instead of arrest and prosecution, we have security agencies requesting
that laws be suspended or repealed.
“Equally irksome is the suggestion
of establishing “cattle colonies”, mooted by the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh. With regard to this idea, Lawyers Alert
posits that the issue of cattle ranches and colonies, be totally suspended in
States like Benue, at least until the menace of herdsmen is traced to its roots
and destroyed. Healing, rehabilitation and reconciliation should be the only
priorities at this time.
“Most importantly, there must be
a holistic approach to the issue of marauding herdsmen and loss of lives in the
Benue basin. A solution would have to be thought through with the active
participation of communities and stakeholders.
“Security agencies, especially
the Police are becoming increasingly partisan, with the Police Public Relations
Officer openly calling the Governor of Benue State a drowning man during a talk
show on Channels. Lawyers Alert completely supports the Resolution of the House
of Representatives calling on the Inspector General of Police to resign.
“Offices are not just meant to be
occupied, but to be occupied for functionality. The functionality of the
Inspector General’s office is in question and we call for his immediate
resignation in line with the House of Representatives resolution.
“President Buhari’s
non-responsiveness to the situation by staying largely quiet, refraining from
making assurances to the people of Benue people in line with his mandate to
protect them, is sad.’’
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