Yahaya Bello gives local government bosses and monarchs seven days to fish out killers of Fulanis

GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State have given four local government administrators and the traditional rulers within their areas seven days to arrest the killers of 15 Fulani cattle herdsmen who were recently murdered.

Over recent years, Nigeria has been blighted by incessant battles between heavily armed herdsmen and local farmers. Cattle destroy crops in rural farms leading to bitter protests by villagers, which are often met with brutal reprisals by the herdsmen who attack with AK47s, sometimes massacring hundreds in single raids.

Kogi State is in Nigeria's Middle Belt, which has borne the brunt of the crisis as these Fulani herdsmen have frequently gone on the rampage there, killing thousands. Exasperated by the failure of the government to act, local people have started forming vigilante groups and it appears that in Kogi State, the citizenry decided to take matters into their own hands.

Up until now, Governor Bello has been silent over the attacks by the herdsmen but this time around, he has decided to act. Yesterday, the governor issued an ultimatum to the local government administrators and monarchs, saying they should ensure the arrest of those responsible for the killings or risk losing their positions and stools.

According to the governor, the Fulanis were killed in Yagba West, Omala, Dekina and Igalamela/Odolu local government areas of Kogi State. Speaking during a during a security stakeholders meeting held at Government House in Lokoja, the state capital, he added that his administration would not condone killings of any citizen in the state.

Governor Bello vowed to apprehend and bring to book the perpetrators of the dastardly act, saying the government would not allow the insecurity situation that occurred in Benue, Nasarawa and Zamfara states to extend to Kogi State. He commended the security agents for their effort in ensuring that there is absolute peace in the state, urging them to be more proactive in order to keep the state safe.

“These Fulanis have been staying with us in the state peacefully without any rancour. Any politicians or detractors who are behind these killings will be made to face the full wrath of the law as my administration will not spare anybody no matter how highly placed in the society,” Governor Bello added.

Comrade Joseph Olutimi, the administrator of Yagba West where the killing of 11 Fulanis took place, stated that he received a report that a farmer was allegedly killed by herdsmen and as soon as he did, he quickly informed the security agents who swung into action. He pointed out that the Fulanis were killed by yet-to-be identified gunmen, stressing that the people of the local government have been living peacefully with their neighbours.

Commodore Jerry Omadara, the governor's special adviser on security, added some people took the law into their hands in a reprisal attack and killed 10 Fulanis who resided in some communities in the Yagba West Local Government Area as a reprisal for the dead farmer. He pointed that they then  dumped their corpses in Omi River.

He further disclosed that three corpses of Fulanis were found in Oluja community in Dekina Local Government Area, while several cows were killed by unknown gunmen. Mohammed Mainasara, the secretary of Meyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in charge of Yagba West, alleged that 11 Fulani residents in the area were killed without provocation.

Last month, Fulani cattle herdsmen attacked two communities in Kogi State, killing eight persons in Bagana and Patani communities in Omala Local Government Area. In March last year, herdsmen killed 32 people in Dekina and Omala Local Government Areas too during which they burnt down about 20 houses.