By Okhide Em’ya David
Rights Group, Foundation for Good Governance and Social Change, says recent statement credited to Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Bala Mohammed that “Herdsmen are eligible to carry A K 47 Riffles to protect their Cows,” is tantamount to a call for Civil War.
Executive Director of FGGSC, Comrade Austine Osakwe, described the statement in Benin at the weekend as reckless, provocative, divisive and unbecoming of the status of a Governor in a pluralistic nation like Nigeria.
He added that the utterances have the potential of exacerbating the ethnic and religious tension across Nigeria.
In the history of Nigeria, he noted, it has come to a period where the people must uphold that famous saying that all it takes for evil to thrive is for good men to fold their arms and do nothing.
Austine Osakwe said history may just somehow forgive those who were active participants in crisis, “but we believe that the same history will never forgive those who folded their hands and did nothing when the crisis began, brewed and consumed it’s victims or when they saw things go wrong.”
He said the “statement would have needed no response, if Bala Mohammed’s cows and those belonging to other Fulani herders and their backers were restricted to ranches in their own parts of the Country.”
“But we need to respond because you and I know that for some time in this country that the Fulani cattle herders have unleashed terror, mayhem on the farms which are livelihoods of other Nigerians across the geo-political zones of the Nation.”
“I am particularly concerned about what has been happening in the South-South Geo-Political Zone of the Nation and specifically in Edo State, where vast Areas of Farm Lands which are the source of livelihoods of our People have been destroyed by these Herders to feed their cows.
“They did not only destroy crops, they also maimed our young men and women and elderly ones and very sadly with many instances, raped our women. They have taken our hospitality for granted.”
Osakwe said the statement elevates the status of cows above that of Nigerians noting that it opens the floodgate of self-help for Nigerians of other ethnic divides and geographical zones to resort to arming themselves.
FGGSC observes that “Bala Mohammed as a Governor of a state ought to have been circumspect…but however his statements were divisive, reckless, and provocative especially in a pluralistic society such as Nigeria.
“We want to further say that the fact that almost 48 hours after he uttered the statements, President Mohammadu Buhari and in deed the Federal Government have not reprimanded the Governor of Bauchi, State Alhaji Bala Mohammed, over his recklessness…what is synonymous therefore is that we are seeing the hand of Esau but hearing the Voice of Jacob.”
“We wish to place on record that the Buhari’s Government does not seem to have learnt anything from history…and those who fail to learn from the lessons of history are quick to repeat the same mistakes from such histories.
“What history am I talking about, the events which are playing out in Nigeria now are the replicas of same events which culminated in the 1967 to 2970, x 30 months, and devastating civil war. It will be re called that for thirty months Nigerians fought against themselves.
“It is on records that when many well-meaning Nigerians spoke out then, nobody especially many of the influential Political Elites listened.”
“We must note that they as Victors in that war are making a big mistake because the scenario which played out then, is very different this time around.
“And I asked the question how cans a single ethnic group with a population of not more than three hundred thousand People across the West Africa Sub Region hold over a hundred and eighty million People to ransom across six Geo Political Zones. It will appear that these People have backers.”
FGGSC said they “want to send a clear message that Bala Mohammed’s outburst is tantamount to call for self-help and call on Nigerians to protect themselves.
“If the Fulani cattle herders have rights to go about with AK 47 Riffles to protect their cows and unleash mayhem on others, then my People in Edo State across the Villages, of the 192 wards of the 18 local Government Areas in deed have rights to also protect their lives their house holds as well as the crops in their farms which are the main source of their livelihoods.”
