Senators from the nineteen states in Northern Nigeria have issued a communique today regarding threats emanating from certain regions of the country demanding the immediate relocation of herdsmen.
The Northern Senators warned governors and village heads in South-East, in particular, to cease from making proclamations that could overheat an already polarized country.
Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, APC Senator Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa West read a communique on behalf of the group. Senator said, “We appreciate the steps the federal government had taken so far to contain the problems of herdsmen/farmers clashes and call on community leaders to be careful when making statements on these ugly incidences.
“There would be no country called Nigeria if other parts of the country asked Fulani herdsmen to leave their communities and states. We, therefore, warn everybody, including governors to desist from making inflammatory remarks. A governor is a community leader. The only difference is that he has a label called the governor.
“If you don’t mind, attacks by Fulani Herdsmen in recent times started with the West when elder statesman, Chief Olu Falae, had some very nasty experience. It was attributed at the time to Fulani herdsmen. In the end, those people were apprehended, and they were not Fulanis.
“This thing has been going on in virtually all parts of the country today. If we now say that everybody should rise and say herdsmen should leave, we will not have a country.”
Senator Adamu, who read from a communique issued at the close of the Northern Senators’ meeting, stated the forum is determined to continue its unalloyed support for President Muhammadu Buhari. Adamu said the body believed President Buhari will bring about an even development across the length and breadth of the entire nation.
The Senators also promised that to stem the rising tide of clashes between Herdsmen and farmers, the Senate would either enact or amend laws that will ensure an amicable resolution of the herders/farmers’ crisis.
