Nigeria, these days, has become something of a pressure cooker of internal conflicts and generalised violence. Africa’s most populous country is plagued by multiple conflicts. From a jihadist insurgency in the northeast to attacks by criminal gangs carrying out mass kidnappings in the northwest and separatists targeting security forces in the southeast. Then there is the farmer-herder conflict in the middle-belt, police repression, piracy, and attacks on oil infrastructure in the South-South.
Of recent, not a day, sometimes even an hour, goes by without a deadly attack or a kidnapping. Such occurrence isn’t unusual in the North, which has grappled with Boko Haram terrorism for over a decade and most recently, banditry. The growing concern, however, is the escalation to the south, especially with revived secessionist movement.
Troubled by this ugly development, governors from the 17 southern states convened a virtual meeting last week. This was at the instance of Governors Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and David Umahi (Ebonyi) who are chairmen of the South-West, South-South, and South-East Governors Forum respectively. Unable to harmonise their position towards the growing insecurity and other matters, they agreed to hold a physical meeting in Asaba.
As expected, the governors turned up in style. The banquet hall of the Delta State Government House, Asaba was adorned with glitz and glamour. All governors in attendance were smartly dressed for the media, stakeholders and other observers. It was a mini carnival of some sort. Understandably so, being the first gathering of the region’s most powerful forces in over three years.
Their agenda was simple; critically evaluate the current security situation in the country, the implications for southern Nigeria and proffer an immediate and long-term solution to keep the region safe and secure for the citizens. And among others, the governors agreed to ban open grazing in the region.
In a resolution after the meeting, the forum explained the rationale, stressing that “development and population growth has put pressure on available land and increased the prospects of conflict between migrating herders and local populations in the South. Given this scenario, it becomes imperative to enforce the ban on open grazing in the South, including cattle movement to the South by foot.”
By this, the governors collectively identified the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits into the Southern part of the country as being root of the severe security challenge, such that citizens are not able to live their normal lives in the region.
The move comes as no surprise, as there have been multiple reports of armed herdsmen attacks and fatal herder-farmer clashes. In a report last year, the International Crisis Group said violence linked to armed herders were six times deadlier than attacks by Boko Haram.
Earlier this year, the National Economic Council (NEC) stated that State Governments have statutory jurisdiction over forest reserves and will seek federal support for efforts to eradicate forest-based crime. The Council deliberated on how forests can be better managed and secured against criminals and criminality, citing that the National Livestock Transformation Plan, a comprehensive strategy for addressing the farmer-herder conflict, was developed by the states in collaboration with the Federal Government, and Governors will seek its full implementation.
The FG also announced the launch of a National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme (NALBIP) to reduce herdsmen/farmer clashes and also boosting dairy cattle production in Nigeria. However, these noble policies and that by the governors is nothing near the silver bullet to insecurity in the region.
Farmer-herder clashes is one of the numerous security challenges confronting the South. There is the Eastern Security Network, the militia arm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), wreaking havoc across the region. In the west, there is also a secession agitation.
Like Senator Ndume rightly captured, “The governors are deviating from the matter. The problem is not about open grazing. The problem is security. Most of the insecurity problems confronting Nigeria is not in the bush”.
He further explained, “We have four different types of security challenges. We have the insurgency in the North East, IPOB through the Eastern Security Network is creating insecurity in the South East, there is banditry in the North West.
“It is only in the North Central that we have issues of farmers-herders clashes. There is less problem in the South – West except for the clashes between the herdsmen and the farmers and the agitators for the Yoruba nation.
“Similarly, in south south-South, they are trying to instigate the avengers but so far the area is peaceful. The issue of insecurity is unique to each zone.”
Beyond the jamboree in Asaba that led to the ban on open grazing, a lot more needs to be done by the southern governors to end insecurity and other issues in the region and across the nation.
