Fulani Herdsmen Terrorists – Why Are They Tolerated In Our Forests? A Clarion And Emergency Call On Governors To Constitute Local Armed Vigilantes

By Othniel A. Ikpibako, Esq

“Othniel, we could no longer go to our farmlands because Fulani herdsmen would kill anyone who dare to.” That was the poignant voice of the nanny who took care of me, an older cousin, a widow, who has engaged in commercial farming in Abraka Farm Reserve in Delta State since early 2000 from which she fended for herself and her children and even bought a plot of land in Abraka municipality. At the time my nanny was lamenting above last month she was actually soliciting an aid; once a provider, is now a dependant!

During a discussion in my undergraduate class WhatsApp group on the 6^th May 2021, where I first shared the above lamentation of my nanny, a colleague then shared the following:

About a year and 5 months ago Fulani herdsmen raped and stabbed to death an armless female in Nteje, my home town. Most of the farmers in Nteje have stopped farming owing to perennial Fulani attacks. Recently, Fulani herdsmen invaded with their cattle commercial cassava farmland of Eze Uwadiegwu’s mother in Nando in Anambra. After grazing the crops, the herdsmen cut the rest of the crops into pieces and set them ablaze. The woman, like other farmers in Nando has abandoned her farmland. – Mr Tochukwu Ugwueze, Esq

From the above few testimonies and the incumbent realities in Nigeria, it would be safe to conclude that Fulani herdsmen have occupied all the forests from the South-South, South-East, South-West and Middle-Belt of Nigeria. Also from the current realities and news, they rape, kidnap, main and kill armless farmers and take over their farmlands and destroy their crops. Should we not safely conclude too and I dare conclude that we all in the Southern and Middle-Belt Nigeria are already besieged from the forests by heavily armed Fulani herdsmen, probably waiting to overrun us all in the cities.

So, a few days ago I was disturbed in my dream, I hardly dream though. In my dream, armed group rounded up me and others while sleeping. I tried to escape under hot pursuit but woke up. I include this in this piece because, as far I can remember a few times I had grappled with misfortunes, God showed me in dreams first but I discarded them, not taking the dreams seriously. Again, where I live is one of the secured Estates in Lagos; so, greatly disturbing was my dream. Could it be, these terrorists who have already besieged our forests would advance to the city to overrun us all; it is a possibility!

Pointedly, these Fulani herdsmen are terrorists. One still wonders till date why the Federal Government has not designated them as such and order the military to comb the forest to deal with them decisively; terrorists are hosti humanis generis (common enemies of mankind). Is there any ulterior motive on the part of the Federal Government? As a researcher on terrorism, the definition of terrorism seems to be controversial, but same is not, just only that politics has overshadowed the legality of terrorism in the international community. Hence, scholars and governments have not agreed to settle the definition of terrorism. But I will provide us with a simple guide on who a terrorist is. A terrorist is a person or a member of an organization who kill, main or destroy property wantonly to overawe the government or a section of a community.

From the above guide on who a terrorist is, no one should be left in doubt any longer that we have a large number of Fulani herdsmen terrorists who have besieged us in the forest. Why the Federal Government has not designated then as such is another matter. In international law, human rights are often whittled down in dealing decisively with terrorists, inter alia, because they are hosti humanis generis. Should we tolerate these Fulani herdsmen terrorists in our forest any further? The answer is emphatic no!

THE WAY FORWARD

Mr President Buhari was reported to have given a shoot at sight order to the army on whosoever is found carrying a gun. However, unfortunately and illegally, it was further reported that the Minister of Defence countered the order that such once should be only arrested and prosecuted. Governor Ortom of Benue State had lamented this confusion some days back. I must clarify that the order of shoot at sight by Mr President to the army still stands as he is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Again, since the Fulani herdsmen are terrorists who kill, main and destroy property wantonly the order of shoot at sight by Mr President is legal in international law. Hence, the army and air force have a subsisting order to rid our forest of these terrorists.

Furthermore, and from the incumbent realities in the country, we might not fully rely on the military to rid these Fulani herdsmen terrorists from our forest, hence I hereby call on the State Governors as a SECURITY EMERGENCY to constitute armed vigilantes in their respective states: there are teeming unemployed, willing and ready youths available for this most important and hallowed tasks of securing lives and property. Governor Ortom has muted this proposal, and I hereby goad him to quickly without any ounce of delay constitute the armed vigilantes: these Fulani herdsmen terrorists are hosti humanis generis, our common enemies.

The beauty of local vigilante cannot be overemphasised. Between 2002 and 2004 Ughelli Town in Delta State where I grew up was a den of armed robbers. The police were overwhelmed. Armed vigilante group named “Bakassi” was then set up. In 2004, when I returned from school, my buddy was gisting me how the vigilante cleansed the town of armed robbers in a decisive manner: they killed 16 one day, 20 another day, 10 another day, etc. These local vigilante members were repentant armed robbers in the community and knew their targets very well. In reaction to exploit of the Bakassi I did a poem in 2004 which I titled “The Bakassi” and Stanzas 1 and 2 read thus:

Staccato……..    Every now and then    My people scampering    Every now and then    What a civil war    What a bloodletting    The law men were feminine    Running from the battle    That they were blood and flesh.          The bakassi boys came    And one after the other    They uprooted these    Undesirable shrubs    There is peace once more    To this shore    My people are liberated    From the shackles of tumult.

In conclusion, I once again call on the Governors as a matter of SECURITY EMERGENCY to constitute and inaugurate ARMED VIGILANTES to confront and eliminate these Fulani herdsmen terrorists from our forests. The military too is hereby called upon to carry out the shoot at sight order of Mr President as these Fulani herdsmen terrorists are our common enemies. After they are fully settled in the forests, without any challenge or elimination, they would dare advance to the cities and overrun us all. I must seize this opportunity to commend Governor Rotimi Akeredulu for how he is using the Amotekun to secure the forest of Ondo State; such efforts, however, should be doubled and progressively tripled. Other Governors should follow suit in their respective states.