Herders Crisis: Kaduna Governor el-Rufai Says ‘State and Community Policing Ultimate Panacea’

Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai says state and community policing “is the ultimate panacea for effective law enforcement nationwide” and called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the constitutional amendments to usher in the process.

The governor also urged citizens not to allow the criminal actions of insurgents and bandits to tear the country apart.

His comments come amid calls for herders to leave certain regions of the country, over concerns related to insecurity.

The Ondo State Government as well as Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader and activist better known as Sunday Igboho had in recent times asked herders to vacate certain parts of Ondo and Oyo states.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had ordered undocumented herders to vacate the state’s forest reserves within seven days, while Sunday Igboho had blamed Fulani herders for criminal activities in Ibarapa local government area of Oyo state, and subsequently asked them to vacate the area.

Igboho had however extended the quit notice to the six states in the south-west region.

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, el-Rufai condemned the calls for eviction and urged state governors to take a stand before the situation degenerates into anarchy.

“The government of Kaduna State notes with grave concern, video clips circulating on social media platforms like WhatsApp in which citizens of a particular ethnicity are being massacred and their properties destroyed in parts of Nigeria. This is coming amidst avoidable rhetoric, frenzied ethnic profiling and unlawful eviction of citizens from their places of domicile,” he said.

“Many citizens of Kaduna State have reached out to me as their governor to confirm the authenticity of these video clips. Some allege that these incidents have the support of leaders of the places where attacks have occurred. While I am unable to confirm the authenticity of the video clips, their impact on the peaceful coexistence of our people is a source of concern.

“We should not be seduced into the dangerous passion of blaming innocents, declaring them guilty of the crimes of others, evicting them, killing and destroying their property. In difficult times, we must uphold the right of everyone to live, with security and safety. The frenzy of ethnic labelling makes solutions difficult and can only guarantee disorder, violence and pain.

“On behalf of the Government of Kaduna State, I call on all Nigerians living in our State to respect law and order and the rights of all citizens to live in peace and security wherever they reside or work. I appeal to my colleagues governing other States in our country to make similar statements, and disavow these attacks and massacres.

“We must avoid anarchy and vigorously promote the rule of law and the right of all citizens to life, liberty and livelihoods wherever they choose to reside. Elected and appointed public leaders across the country must act on their constitutional obligations to protect all citizens, uphold order, and contribute to a climate for peaceful resolution of all issues.

“The genuine fears felt by people across the country for their safety and security imposes a responsibility on all leaders to ensure that these anxieties are assuaged and urgent steps taken to relieve human misery and stop the criminal actions that menace our citizens and their property. This should be the top priority.

“It is time for governments and leaders at all levels to step in, exercise firm action, engage people and ensure that the responsibility these dire times demand is not derailed by those who only see opportunity for their own myopic agendas. We cannot allow, by inaction or otherwise, the reign of anarchy where fear creates a tragic momentum of violence, blurring the lines between victims and perpetrators and complicating a difficult moment. We urge our representatives in the National Assembly to expedite action on the Constitutional amendments that would usher in State and community policing as this is the ultimate panacea for effective law enforcement nationwide.

“We should not allow the criminal actions of insurgents and bandits to tear our country apart. We should not be seduced into the dangerous passion of blaming innocents, declaring them guilty of the crimes of others, evicting them, killing and destroying their property. In difficult times, we must uphold the right of everyone to live, with security and safety. The frenzy of ethnic labelling makes solutions difficult and can only guarantee disorder, violence and pain.

“Governments and security agencies must rein in all non-state actors, tackle hateful rhetoric and protect all communities. Those that engage in criminal acts must be arrested and prosecuted without regard to their ethnic or religious persuasion. Civic leaders, across ethnic and religious lines, in all our communities, should also help calm the heated passions of the moment, lest the few destroy the many, turning victims of crime against each other, to the delight of those who do not mean well. We cannot quench one fire by setting more places ablaze. Let us reject the path of disorder, marginalise, expose and prosecute all criminals and promote peace.”

By Abel Ejikeme

Follow us on: