The recent killings in Uromi in Edo State has once again brought to the fore the impunity of herders invasion of farms under the guise of cattle grazing, created and overlooked by President Mohammadu Buhari during his administration.
Whilst we condole with the family of the deceased victims of the March 28th Killings in Edo State, we must also console the families of the incessant killings, kidnappings and farm invasions in Edo State and Nigeria in general.
While I commend the swift response and efforts of the State Government at de-escalating the situation and tension through their actions, efforts and the visits to the Kano State Government and the federal government directives to arrest the culprits and ensure justice is served.
My I use the opportunity to remind those fanning the flames of war from the north that people and villages in Edo State have been crying for protection against terrorist herdsmen invasion and destruction of their farms since 2015 when the Buhari administration came on board, they have been kidnapped, slaughtered and killed, in their farms, some in their journey, whilst some in the sleep, as some others are killed after collecting ransom from their families.
Sometimes in February 2021 Edo Women protested in Benin Edo State over their inability to go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped by herdsmen.
In recent times Rev. Fr and religious faithfuls have been kidnapped and killed senselessly in Auchi and Afemai axis in Edo North, even as the Edo central region of the State, the esan area has been under siege by bandits and kidnappers. So why we condemn the killings, we cannot close our eyes to certain pertinent questions begging for answers and we hope that apart from arresting the perpetrators of this heinous crime, the police and the military will use this as an opportunity to conduct a detailed forensic investigation into other killings in the State and country to not determine if the travelers were genuine hunters or terrorist as some persons have alleged, but also to reassure the citizens that justice is indeed a two way traffic, which will in-turn create a collaborative synergy for peaceful coexistence and ensure safety, security and stability.
This event has yet again presented another opportunity to the federal government to address the myriad of challenges facing us as a nation.
What is the value and dignity of human life to us as a people in Nigeria?
How do we intend to resolve the challenges of state and local policing, banditry, terrorism, inequality, insecurity, poverty, Land Use Act, Fiscal federalism, social justice, proliferation of small arms, cattle ranching as against open grazing, police reforms, our population census, true and reflective local government, etc, autonomy, you can add your own dem plenty.
Whilst the security and welfare of the people is the responsibility of government and the State Governors are the chief security officers of their various states, can they command a common DPO, Division Police Officer without them taking instructions from Abuja?
So the more we keep running away from addressing these issues the more the country sinks deeper into the abass of a failed state condemned by insecurity.
If you tell me every country have their problems, I will say to you that every country deals with their challenges, how are we dealing with ours, as this menace of insecurity has become so endemic that extent we have accepted invasion of communities as a normal occurrence not worthy of the news like in Benue State.
I will therefore advocate, whilst tempers are high and flaring on both sides of the divide as those from Edo and the south are condemning the Governor for extending a visit to his Kano State counterpart and asking if those killed by bandits and terrorist in the South were compensated with a visit from the Northern Governors.
Those in the North who are calling for a blood and reprisal, should stop living in denial that most of these bandits terrorizing most of these communities in the South are from the North, even though we agree that there are collaborators from amongst the Southern villagers.
Consequently, we all should realize that if these issues are not handled and resolved with diplomacy, it might snowball into a full blown war that nobody is willing or capable of fighting. And in war, we are all casualties.
In diplomatic relations, we say, the table used to dialogue after the war, always existed even before the war, it takes only a discerning observer to see it.
If you want peace, work for justice for man at his best, man is the noblest of all animals but separated from law and justice he is the worst is worst than a beast.
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