By Esseh Ikora, Uyo
Professor of agricultural and development economics, University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Akwa Ibom state, Professor Gabriel Umoh, has tasked the federal government to urgently halt the orgy of violence unleashed on innocent citizens by fishing out sponsors of the Fulani herdsmen.
Prof Imoh said the only solution to the frequent killing of innocent citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen is to unmask sponsors who armed the herdsmen with sophisticated assault rifles and make them face the wrath of the law.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Uyo, Umoh who is also the Director Center for Wetland , University of Uyo, condemned the murder of Nigerians in cold blood by Fulani herdsmen.
He lamented the inability of the government at all levels to perform their constitutional role of protection of lives and properties of the citizens.
“What we read and hear in the media is half-hearted statement of blame and counter-blame, unnecessary rationalization of the how and the why the killing are taking place,” Umoh said.
He also chided the law enforcement agencies for failing in their statutory functions to prevent the killings from taking place but lauded the National Assembly for issuing a marching order on the Nigerian Police Force to parade suspected killers.
This kind of attitudes, according to him is an indication that the law enforcement agencies have failed in their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property of the citizenry and that human lives does not matter to them.
“In other climes whenever a citizen’s life is lost, government wastes not time and spares no effort in bringing perpetrators of such crime to book. Does it mean that lives of Nigerians do not matter to our government and law enforcement agencies? the professor asked.
He also raised concerns over the unregulated grazing stressing adding that if allowed to continue for a long time could lead to loss of vegetation cover, erosion and desertification.
The professor advised the crop farmers and cattle rears to live in peace and know that both cattle rearing and farming are all business concerns and should be treated as such.
“Our position is that cattle rearing is a private business and should be treated as such. As a crop farmer does not have the right to illegally move to other people’s plots to cultivate without necessary contractual arrangement so too the cattle herders do not have the right to illegally graze their cattle on other people’s plots/farmland.
He charged the herdsmen to obtain for themselves ranches and ranges where they should confine their cattle and cattle rearing activities and called on both the crop farmers and cattle herdsmen to ply their trade in a civilized manner without let or hindrance.
