What was meant to be a normal television discussion over the spate of insecurity in the country has turned out to be a political war in Plateau state. MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU writes.
Lately, the governor of Plateau state, Mr Simon Lalong, perhaps harped on the truth when he said that like herders, farmers also carry AK-47 in the course of their activities, an assertion that has attracted myriads of discussions. Lalong was responding to questions having featured on a television programme where the issue of insecurity dominated the discussion with specificity on livestock and farming groups as factors of crisis and insecurity.
Laying the facts bare
From the onset, Lalong gave reasons why he rejected the proposed Rural Grazing Area programme otherwise known as RUGA settlement for herdsmen in the state. According to him, the programme is alien to him and some of his colleagues as it was not discussed and agreed at the National Economic Council meeting.
“The RUGA initiative was a strange concept that came after the National Economic Council thoroughly debated, scrutinised and adopted the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP) as a very comprehensive and inclusive idea to tackle herder-farmer clashes and other associated challenges,” he said.
Lalong said because the RUGA initiative did not have the consensus of stakeholders and fell short of addressing the concerns of most governors, it was not possible to embrace it. He said this fueled the misconception over NLTP which is neither for one ethnic group nor meant for land grabbing.
“I was one of the first governors to kick against the RUGA programme when it was introduced. To start with, the concept was literally sneaked in for reasons we did not understand,” he said. “For me as governor of Plateau state, I just heard that they have erected signposts in some sites within some local governments.”
Lalong asked rhetorically, “How can you earmark such a project without my knowledge and buy-in of the people in my state? I had no interest in it because it was far below the NLTP which was more robust and passed through a series of engagements with critical stakeholders,” he expressed.
According to Lalong, Plateau state subscribed to NLTP because of the fact that it would carry along many groups and individuals involved in livestock business and its associated value chains that encompasse farmers, herders and other people involved in processing of meat and packaging.
“There is also a provision for other animals such as sheep, goats, pigs and others,” he added.
Lalong said Plateau was chosen as one of the pilot states having earmarked the Wase and Kanam Grazing Reserves. He was confident that the implementation of NLTP would go a long way in addressing many of the issues associated with the activities of herdsmen which have led to clashes with farmers and other crimes.
Insecurity and matters of concerns
It is certain that the insecurity bedeviling Nigeria is basically as a result of herders/farmers, clashes of which Plateau is not exceptional, though great breakthrough has been reached in addressing most of the issues by applying interface dialogue, recovery of arms and ammunitions from the conflicting groups since the inception of Lalong’s administration.
The governor had on the TV programme condemned the violence perpetrated by herdsmen who bear arms and urged for strong measures to end the ugly trend. He however, lamented that there are many non-state actors who are in possession of arms that must be addressed. He however buttressed in reality the fact that both herders and farmers carry guns.
“Today, we are now seeing the hazard of allowing people to graze here and there. But the herders also want a solution. By the time you explain to them, they also want to stay in one place, they would also want to keep away from carrying AK-47.
“I’m not justifying anybody to carry AK-47 but don’t forget that in the course of our deliberations and investigations, it was not only Fulani herdsmen that were carrying AK-47, but even farmers were carrying AK-47 to protect themselves. This is because of the failure of the security architecture which we must address immediately,” he said.
Lalong emphasised that deliberate efforts must be put in place to curtail the influx of light arms.
PDP chides Lalong
Nonetheless, Lalong’s assertion of fact was perceived by some people, notably from the political points of views that he has erred. The Plateau state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its wisdom demanded an apology from the governor. However, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state swiftly responded to the PDP; later, a rebuttal emerged from the PDP where it said in a statement by its publicity secretary, Mr John Akans where it said that, “Lalong should go back to school and learn how to talk.”
PDP was further of the views that, “Once again, Governor Lalong and Plateau APC should know that Plateau farmers do not carry AK47, but hoes and other farming implements; we have no land for ranching. You lie! Lalong, you lie!
“We continue to wonder how a sane person or party would condone such shameful and self- indicting comments of a supposedly elected governor against his people before the entire world.”
APC kicks
The APC kicked against its rival PDP by expressing a strong statement through state secretary, Malam Bashir Musa Sati, who said PDP should stop making a storm in a teacup.
Also, the party’s publicity secretary, “It is their usual score cards of religion, ethnicity and hate with the hope to inflict massive damage on the governor and the APC.”
According to APC, “Sadly and very unfortunately, the total mission of the factional spokesman of the PDP and his tattered faction failed woefully among majority of the people of the state and others around the world who are discerning, informed, intelligent and dispassionate in looking at issues from broad perspectives rather than the myopic tendencies of the dead PDP and remnant of its scattered flock.
“For the benefit of the doubt, the governor never encouraged or endorsed herdsmen bearing arms. Neither did he support any other group such as farmers, mechanics, kidnappers, politicians, cultists and other unauthorised persons in carrying AK-47 and other weapons,” the APC said.
It said Lalong merely cited the fact that because of the failure of the security system, non-state actors including herders, farmers, etc are carrying arms, a situation that must be addressed quickly.
“But the PDP faction twisted it to appeal to their isolated, gullible and disgruntled followers particularly on the social media by saying that Governor Lalong accused farmers of carrying arms. What an ingenious lie!” it said.
The APC said it deemed it necessary to advise the moribund PDP faction that exploiting insecurity would never bring the PDP back to power in the state because the people measured its 16 years and found it wanting on all counts particularly on security.
“Governor Lalong and the APC have succeeded in demystifying your lies by restoring peace in the state, a situation that pains you dearly despite the fact that killings have drastically fallen to an all-time low. He has succeeded where you failed woefully and you cannot stomach it.
“The governor’s main goal of discussion on the programme was to talk about how the insecurity in the country can be tackled holistically and not to justify any illegal arm bearer. He is not perfect, but he is focused,” the APC said.
Public opinions
As the issue rises debates among people, some were of the views that Lalong ought to have let his findings in secret for security operatives to work on it, while others were of the views that he was right to strike the balance of facts for posterity to judge him.
Mr Yuhana Joshua said, “I think in a country where insecurity becomes a great course of concern, letting such a view out to the public is good, more so that Governor Lalong is now the chief security officer and has actually been doing good work in the area of peace and security of his state.”
