Killings: Delta leaders suggest tighter borders, ranching as solutions

Adoga Michael Oyi


The federal government has been advised to do more to secure the nation’s international borders, especially in the north, to be able to end the ongoing killings in some northern states.
This was one of the solutions proffered by some leaders and opinion moulders in Delta state on Friday, while reacting to the escalation of killings in the north.
In separate interviews, the chairman of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), Chief Edward Ekpoko, and an Urhobo opinion leader, Chief Victor Otomiewo, both suggested that the the killings go beyond just farmers/herdsmen’s faceoff, but smells politicised.
While Ekpoko suggested that government should do more to secure the nation’s international borders, especially in the north, Otomiewo urged all Nigerians to support the ranching method as had been earlier suggested by government.
“I think the whole herdsmen problem goes beyond dispute over grazing areas, it’s beyond that. The killings in Benue in the last three days, in which they had to go into churches, shooting people, what has that got to do with grazing? Think the thing is just pure insecurity; are borders are too porous, especially in the north.
“If you ask the cattle herders association, the Miyetti Allah, why all these things, they will tell you these are criminal elements, not cattle herders and I think I believe them because a real cattle herders does not go about with AK47, apart from his dagger or bow and arrow.
“So to end all these killings, we as citizens have to also be security conscious and assist government in fighting this menace. We must report all suspicious moments to the police or any other security agency. All the borders must be properly manned, especially in the north because I don’t think these killings are done by Nigerians”, he said.
But Otomiewo noted that the solution had been suggested all along, but those who want to play politics with human lives are those kicking against it. To him, the solution is ranching.
“It is unfortunate that rather than face the real issues, people are playing politics with the lives of Nigerians. You want Buhari to solve every security problem in every corner of Nigeria, but in the meantime you have governors who are pocketing security votes every month. You have council chairmen who are pocketing security votes, nobody is asking anything about that one.
“How did cattle rearing suddenly become a war of attrition, if not for politics? What is the ranching? They are not going to acquire people’s houses for ranching, as we are speaking, the lands they acquire are deep in the forest, unoccupied by anybody, converting them into ranches will bring prosperity and economic development to the area.
“Don’t also forget sir, more than 20 to 30 years these herders were not carrying arms, but at some point they were being robbed of their cattle, they were being slaughtered for their cattle, particularly in the southeast, it was then these people became wise and started carrying arms. Ranching is the solution, go to other parts of the world, ranching is the way. We want to copy their expensive culture, but we don’t want to copy their agricultural policies that make them developed. We are just playing the ostrich”, Otomiewo advised.