[ad_1]
We live in a country where herders are now responsible for traffic on public roads. There is a country where herders are now leaders and leaders of all the communities they establish or encroach on. We live in a country where cows are now considered old people and the country is Nigeria.
The children became orphans overnight. Women turned to widows; Young widowers seek their wives, but they are not found, they were mbadacred by shepherds. Breastfeeding mothers turn to infertile women, parents bury their children every day, and all hopes are broken, broken, and scattered by herders' attacks.
It is not surprising to see shepherds roam in alpha and omega on public roads. It is not new either that motorists and pedestrians are now waiting for the pbadage of cows before they can access public roads. From the premises of the National Assembly to the federal secretariats in Abuja, the cows dominate.
To further crystallize and strengthen the barbaric and hideous activities of the shepherds in the country, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has developed a wicked and heinous plan called "RUGA Settlement" intended solely for cows and shepherds.
Deducting from the foregoing, "democracy in Nigeria is or can be defined as the government of cows, by herders and their only cows". Human lives have lost value and sacredness when the life of cows is a priority.
One may wonder whether the federal government has lost sight of and is fully focused on its constitutional and legal responsibilities. Even more worrying is the fact that the launch of this Ruga initiative is not an obvious case of misplaced priority on the part of the federal government.
It is somewhat ridiculous and ridiculous that the federal government has abandoned its legal responsibilities and has embarked on private issues that do not concern it. When has grazing become a national issue that draws the attention of the presidency? This saga of RUGA is either a demonstration of incompetence and ignorance on the part of the government, or a clear demonstration of malfeasance.
On July 3, 2019, a Mr. Abdulazeez Suleiman, spokesman for the Coalition of Northern Groups, issued threatening statements to Channels Television in response to the opposition of some governors against the Ruga colony .
He said: "Although we warn all state governments who oppose the implementation of the RUGA initiative in order to give up and give a chance to peace, we warn the president Buhari and the federal government that they must act to end this raging madness within the Union. 30 days from today, Wednesday, July 3, 2019 ".
"In order to avoid any ambiguity, we advise the federal authorities and the leaders of the South to respect the 30-day notice, in the absence of anything, we will certainly have no other choice than to consider resorting to our next decisive action line ".
"We remind the nation that as long as Fulanis are not allowed to enjoy and flourish in any part of the country, including in the South, no one should also expect that we allow to any Southerner to enjoy the same thing in northern Nigeria … "
If such statements are made boldly on television, one wonders what will be the fate of the villagers and landowners where they offer settlements. It was an absolute threat to the public peace, but unfortunately, nothing was done to condemn or counter such a threat.
It is rather unfortunate that in this country, Fulani herders are attacking and killing innocent citizens every day without any responsibility and that the president does not say anything about it. Instead of the president acting and leading the nation in the best interests of humans, everything is now in the interest of the cows.
To clarify more, Parts 1 and 2 of the 1999 Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution clearly and unequivocally list the matters on the exclusive legislative and current list, excluding the federal government's grazing establishments.
It is extremely hypocritical that the same federal government is so insensitive, refusing and neglecting to apply the new minimum wage, even after threatening to go on strike, the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) entrusts these quick concerns. at RUGA Settlement. is really pathetic.
Let's not forget, Section 14 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states clearly that the safety and well-being of the population should be the prime objective of the Government as an institution and mechanism for the population.. Unfortunately, the above-mentioned provision of the law is moribund in the current government: the lives of citizens have little or no value, the government not protecting its citizens, but rather protecting the lives of cows.
The federal government has abandoned and neglected its most important statutory duty to protect and preserve the lives and property of citizens for the benefit of cow and grazing issues. It's quite discouraging and pathetic.
Careful observation of recent developments reveals that the lives of cows are more valuable and more expensive than humans in the current administration. The government has excreted all available mechanisms to protect cows alongside shepherds while abandoning other citizens.
Ironically, Peul herders have continuously killed hundreds of Nigerians, burned houses, beheaded villagers, motorists and slaughtered pedestrians without being brought to justice, but government officials will rise to demand justice if cows are killed. .
At times, in June 2018, it was reported that the Yola High Court had sentenced five people to the death penalty by hanging for the murder of a "shepherd" and for injuring several cows, thus violating Article 96 (1) and Article 221 of the Penal Code in the local government of Demsa in Adamawa State.
We stop now to ask: if these shepherds are judged, will the sky fall or an earthquake occur? Where were the prosecution authorities when mbad burials following shepherd attacks took place in this country? Can justice be unilateral? Will it be fair to say that justice was done, seen, said made and heard to have been done?
If these shepherds can kill anyway when they are not settled in different states of the country, we can only imagine what will happen if, probably, they settle down. Without a doubt, they will annihilate the entire community in the blink of an eye.
With Nigeria's situation of tribalism and nepotism, calling for a better Nigeria is tantamount to leaving a helpless sleep with a woman ovulating overnight, which is a useless effort. Seeking the best of this country is the easiest and fastest way to get high blood pressure.
In the face of these lamentations alongside the cries of other Nigerians, I call on the President of the Federation to take decisive measures to develop measures to combat this threat. The right to life under the constitution is inalienable.
Too much is too much. May the rain of justice fall, the sky will not fall.
Edikan Ekanem is a contemporary lawyer, writer and writer based in Abuja. It can be reached at 08130015006 or [email protected] .
Source link
