The Nigerian Presidency hands Pulse an exclusive on how it intends to deal with the herdsmen crisis. The Nigerian presidency believes that bandits masquerading as herdsmen are behind the killings across the country.To this end, “decisive military force will now be fully engaged to deal with the bandits believed to be behind the killings in parts of the country especially regarding the crisis often associated with herdsmen”, a highly placed presidency official told Pulse.The role of “bandits and suspected mercenaries in what has become known as herdsmen/ farmer clashes and violence” has provoked the need for a fresh approach to dealing with the crisis, sources close to the Working Group formed recently by the National Economic Council (NEC)disclosed on the condition of anonymity; because they hadn’t been authorized to speak on the subject. States taking chargeThe view in official circles is that the reported killings and violence recorded are the work of bandits and mercenaries; since in many cases, the herdsmen are often well-known in the communities where their cattle normally graze. Deploying the military to clampdown on “the criminals masquerading as herders” was one of the resolutions of the Working Group.The Working Group was formed a little over a week ago by the National Economic Council. It has nine Governors and is chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State who read out highlights and decisions of the NEC to reporters alongside his Ebonyi counterpart after the Council meeting, said the Working Group “will work in accordance with the President’s commitment to ensuring that all perpetrators of violence are brought to book.” Governors from Zamfara, Kaduna, Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Ebonyi and Oyo States are also members of this Working Group.They commenced their work with a meeting presided over by the VP immediately after NEC at the presidential villa last week.Religious undertoneClose watchers of government business indicated that the “crisis also required a political solution considering the religious and ethnic tones that could easily become further exacerbated and possibly worsen the situation if proper and timely care is not taken”.Other law enforcement and intelligence units like the police and DSS will also be deployed to the northern States of Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Taraba to deal with the problem headlong, our presidency sources added. According to one of our presidency sources; “The Working Group resolved to work with the federal government to strengthen law enforcement and all security and intelligence agencies in the country so they can coordinate better in dealing with, checkmating, and preventing the crisis from further escalation.“On how to permanently address the basis of the herdsmen and farmer clashes, the Working Group is of the view that every State should by a rigorous consultative process with all stakeholders design its own solutions. “The federal government will not impose any solution on any State. The Vice President assured all that the federal government would certainly not imposed its ideas on the States and noted that fears being expressed on cattle colonies are misplaced”. Mass gravesHerdsmen believed to be of Fulani extraction, have been blamed for the spate of killings across Nigeria. On January 11, 2018, 73 persons killed by herdsmen were buried in mass graves in Benue State, with State Governor Samuel Ortom declaring a three day mourning period for residents.
