As midnight cries mar New Year in Benue, By GBEMIGA OLAKUNLE

“For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, woe is me now! For my soul is wearied because of murderers.
” Jeremiah 4: 31 KJV. Yes those who chose New Year Day to unleash terror and sorrow on certain parts of Nigeria from the North to the South are murderers as the Scripture quoted above has rightly described them.
Not only that, they can also be described as sadists, terrorists and merchants of death since these criminals have chosen a unique festive period to strike – a time that many Nigerians are rejoicing that the Almighty God has just enabled them to survive the previous year and they were happy that they have finally crossed-over into the new year hale and hearty.
Some of these victims came from their work-stations in the cities or even abroad to rejoice and spend the yuletide period with their families and friends in their home towns/villages.
First to be recorded was the murder of a second class traditional ruler with his pregnant wife in Kaduna state, who left his palace to celebrate the New Year in his village.
His assailants also burnt the monarch’s house and car.
In Rivers state dare devil criminals suspected to be cult members shot sporadically on some worshippers who were returning from a crossover night service where they must have thanked God for enabling them to survive 2017.
Alas, these merchants of death chose to cut their dreams for the New Year 2018 short by sending some of them into their untimely graves.
These bad boys could be under the influence of drugs and satanic powers while their motives could not be ascertained since they did not rob the victims of their mindless attacks.
As if these blood-chilling reports were not enough to mar the festive mood of a nation that is supposed to be in New Year celebrations with the rest of the international community, that is the same period that some herdsmen who have been having running battles with farmers across the country also decided to strike at the belly part of the nation in Benue state.
And for two daysJanuary 1-2 2018, these assailants were having an orgy of violence.
According reports, these merchants of death were maiming, killing and setting ablaze the properties/houses of their victims.
And it was that bad that the governor of the state had to cry out for help and requested for deployment of the military to curtail/checkmate the activities of these prowlers/assailants.
But not until about 50 people were killed with 30 others injured by these herdsmen who were obviously venting their anger on the Benue anti open-grazing law to prevent destruction of farmlands.
Benue state chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abba Yaro, gave a barbaric account where a pregnant woman was killed and her unborn child removed and slaughtered.
Yaro concluded that it was ethniccleansing by the targeted at the Benue people.
Yaro warned that the ongoing crisis may be an invitation to a second civil war.
Actually, no one is sure whether the group that committed this horrendous act were indigenous Fulani or mercenaries, if at all they were humans.
There are no doubt that this ugly scenario has grave national security implications.
One thing is clear, and it is the fact that there are still proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition across the country.
This is not a good omen as the general election year, 2019, draws closer.
In fact, it portends grave danger for the peaceful conduct of free and fair elections and proper management of a possible postelection crisis or violence.
The second matter that should be noted is the unrepentant/ unremorseful attitude of these herdsmen that seems to have defied every logic and solution.
But the reason may not be far-fetched.
If the Presidency wants the menace to stop, it will stop with an immediate alacrity.
President Muhammadu Buhari as number one herdsman rears his own cattle in a ranch that is well-defi ned in Daura, but he seems to turn a blind eye as some herdsmen allow their cattle to graze on the farmlands of some cropfarmers as they transverse the length and breadth of this country.
There have been reports or even video clips where herdsmen holding AK47 rifles let their cattle loose to feast on a heap of yams in a farm.
Apart from acts of trespassing and illegal grazing on some farmlands, leading to the killing, maiming or raping the spouses or girls of the farmers who dared to challenge them, some of them are also allegedly involved in other criminal acts of armedrobbery and kidnapping for ransom.
As we had earlier noted in our previous articles, if the Federal Government does not tackle this herdsmen menace that has become a national phenomenon, all its efforts to revolutionise agriculture and boost food production may be tantamount to paying lip-service to its policy on agriculture since the crop-farmers are scared out of their farmlands and running into the cities for their dear lives.
However, as professionals/ experts in crisis management, our security agents know what to do to or checkmate the excesses of these herdsmen; but they are probably gauging and interpreting the body language of President Buhari on the matter.
In other words, security agents are not sure whether the President means what he says on the matter since in some cases, he keeps mute.
They must have reasoned that the actions of Mr. President through his ominous silence and body language speak louder than any press statement from any organ of his government.
For instance, in the recent Benue massacre, the Governor of the State, Samuel Ortom, who hails from one of the affected local government areas that was attacked, said he sent an intelligence report to the Federal Government on the attack before it happened.
Also despite being considered a national phenomenon by many Nigerians and security experts, the President did not mention the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the list of security issues to be tackled during his New Year Day address to the nation.
Lastly, while we use this medium to express our condolence to the governments and people of Kaduna, Rivers and Benue states, especially the bereaved families, it is our candid opinion that political leaders should eschew sentiments and allow security agencies to do their work with the aim of reducing crimes to the barest minimum in our society.
We can even achieve a crime free country like Norway and Netherlands where jail-houses are reportedly free for lack of prisoners.
With God on our side and back-up with the necessary political-will, it is attainable.
Succinctly speaking, a crime free society is achievable in Nigeria which will ultimately accelerate its development.
Meanwhile, irrespective of the selfinflicted afflictions as a nation, we still thank God as we wish ourselves a prosperous and Happy New Year.