By Jude Owuamanam, Managing Editor, Northern Operations
Abuja (Sundiata Post) — Youths in Plateau State, under the aegis of the Northern Youths Assembly of Nigeria (NYAN), have warned that relative peace enjoyed in the State may be truncated, if the government failed to check the activities of Fulani cattle rearers in some parts of Plateau State.
The youths said that for some time now there have been persistent activities of herdsmen in Jol of Riyom and Sho in Barkin Ladi local government areas, respectively.
These, according to the youths, have led to pockets of provocations and disagreements between herdsmen and farmers in the areas.
Indeed, Riyom and Barakin Ladi local councils have been theatres of the internecine conflict between the itinerant Fulani herdsmen and their Berom hosts since 2008, leading to loss of lives and destruction of property.
In a statement signed by Deputy Speaker, North Central, Audu Yibeikas, the youths said that such activities, included cases of cattle grazing in a farmer’s dry season farm (Lambu), cattle grazing in the reserved grave sites of the ancestors of the community, forceful intimidation of farmers with violence and death; taking over of native settlements by herdsmen who have now built houses on native bush farms without regard for those who were displaced from the areas; illegal mining activities without respect for the traditional institution in place and also intimidation of native miners.
While accusing both the state and federal governments of negligence, Yibeikas said that relative peace being enjoyed between farmers and herdsmen across the entire North Central is more like a time bomb, adding that the challenges in some IDP camps (resulting from herdsmen versus farmers violence), within the North Central are deplorable.
“The leadership of the above mentioned covers youths from the nineteen (19) Northern states of Nigeria. It has a followership running into millions of young people.
“We wish to draw the Attention of the Federal Government, and most importantly, the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Plateau State House of Assembly and the Office of the Executive Governor of Plateau State to recent incidents at Jol (Riyom LGA) and Sho (Barkin Ladi LGA).
“There have been persistent activities leading to pockets of provocations and disagreements between herdsmen and farmers. It will interest you to note that there are still pending issues that need to be addressed.
“There appears to be little or no Federal Government attention on the plights of the people of North Central, especially farmers. While we commend the efforts of the local government and state authorities, together with contributions of some members of the National Assembly; their efforts are only but ‘widow’s might’ compared to pile of demands and challenges on ground,” he said.
Yibeikas warned that with the onset of the farming season, there is need for the federal government and state governments of the entire North Central to put security, social structures and economic palliatives (such as food relief and fertilizer) as proactive measure toward alleviating the sufferings of farms at the moment.
He feared that lives may be lost in the long, if nothing is done pro-actively.
“While we hail successive exploits in the North East, it should be extended to the North Central. If statistics are to be taken, most areas of the North Central are experiencing same problems as no one is there to tell their story. Something should be done. We fear these provocations might reintroduce crime and criminality such as banditry and cattle rustling in our rural communities. Government can do better. The current administration has the capacity and the political will towards rapid response. We need to be proactive. The resources required to prevent the outbreak of violence is cheaper that what can be deployed to contain it when it occurs,” he added.