Since the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have overshadow the problem of herders/farmers clash, insomuch that they now constitute serious threat farmers in the federal capital territory, JOHN OBA reports.
If there is any challenge threatening the livelihood of farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is the deliberate destruction of farmlands of any farmers that dare to. This has left the Gbagis who are predominantly farmers, the worst affected.
From 2004 till date, herders/farmers crisis has become a national security threat, sparking ethnic tension nationwide. In 2019, Amnesty International estimates that more than 2,000 deaths occur in 2018 alone as a result of clashes between herdsmen and farmers over access to water and pasture and the destruction of land and property, particularly belonging to farmers in the country’s middle belt region.
Yet many would have expected that the FCT, being the seat of power would be more secure, but findings revealed that herdsmen destroys more farmlands in the territory than some states, but most Gbagis could not react because of threats of attacks and fear that their leaders have been compromised.
As new planting season commences, the concern of most farmers in Abuja is the herdsmen attitude of destroying farmlands and government’s inability to tackle the menace.
Impunity of herdsmen
In an interview with Blueprint reporters, some residents of Bwari area council of the FCT, lamented the destruction of their crops by cattles. The cattle which are moved about to graze by Fulani herdsmen are said to eat crops with impunity, threatening anyone who dares to confront them. Most farmers have either decided to make their farms close to their houses where they can watch the farms closely, or not to even farm at all, saying they would rather not feed cattle with their farms.
Farming has served as a source of livelihood to millions of Nigerians and employing thousands more, ensuring food security, providing export, and a huge revenue to the government. The sector has relatively flourished, thanks to the initiative of the federal government to encourage small holder farmers by giving loans, subventions, grants, etc, but there is no gain saying the fact that most of these farmers are losing their investment to herdsmen activities.
The head of Shishipe village, Chief Daniel who spoke with this reporter, said the situation is worrisome and called on the government and law enforcement agents to come to their rescue.
According to him: “Sometimes, I have meetings with farmers and Fulani’s because we don’t want problem in this area. We sit and talk with them. I have had many reports about how Fulani’s cattle has uprooted and eaten yam planted in the ground . As you know this is yam planting season.
“The area council is also aware of this problem of farmers-herders crisis we are facing. I have brought up the issue in our monthly meetings that normally includes all the chiefs in this area council, but till date, there is no tangible solution to this,” he said.
The village head of Nukwuchi also lamented the spate of destruction of farms, saying the Fulani’s are out of control. They act with impunity because they belief their brother is the president, hence no one can punish them. He therefore called on the government to stand up to the challenge.
In his words: “The Fulani’s has caused a lot of trouble in this village. They destroy our cassava and yams. We have had several complains of how the Fulani’s has allowed their cattle to eat farms; the only livelihood these people depend on; it is sad, we don’t know what else or how else to deal with them. Most people are hungry now because of these herdsmen’s attitude. Some are arrested but somehow, they are always released. We call on the government to help us save our farms. We are tired of them. Sometimes, we feel like not farming anymore, but what do you eat if you don’t. And they won’t hesitate to use their machete on you if you confront them on your farm alone”
Looming hunger
Mr Apenpuun David who is the president of an Abuja-based farmers multipurpose cooperative society says that Fulani’s activities is bad and can lead to hunger in the village.
He said: “You plant yam, they remove it and feed it to their cattle. They have touched many farms, almost everyone’s farm has been eaten to an extent. On one of my farms, they eat all the cassava I planted there. You will not even see a stick standing. My neighbor’s cassava too was eaten to the hilt. Not a stick is standing. No arrest has been made to date. Everyone is simply afraid of the Fulanis. They are always ready to cause trouble”
A resident who also spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said “they ate my cassava farm when I traveled home to bury my mother. When I returned, there was nothing on the farm, as if nothing had been planted there. These people go about with utter impunity, eating through farms as if it belongs to them. I beg my husband not to pick a fight with these evil people, especially when he’s alone”
A local farmer Mr Mike said ” Fulanis’ cattle ate my cassava farms completely. It is heartbreaking because I invested thousands of naira in paying those who made ridges for me. Now, I really have no choice but to make my farms close to my house.
“Instead of farming in the bush, I will use plots of lands close to my house to farm. This way, I and my children can keep a close eye on the farms. It won’t be plenty as before but it will be better than having Fulani cattle eat everything. They go about destroying farms as if they are above the law.
“If these ugly trends of cattle eating farms is not addressed, it could lead to more dire consequences, not only on farmers but the nation at large. This can ultimately disrupt the nations food supply, leading the farmers into penury and hunger, homelessness, and unnecessary fights between herders and the farming population. It could lead the country into a post covid-19 food scarcity.
“This eating of farms is coming at a time when many nations across the world, including Nigeria are grappling with the scourge of the coronavirus pandemic; which has evidently led to the shutting down of the economy; it effects has been felt across all sectors of the economy with farmers being at the epicenter of it. The virus which started in Wuhan, Hubei province of China has since become a public health emergency of international concerns, according to the world health organization; infecting more than two million and leaving thousands dead,” he said.
‘Local chief empowering them’
A farmer in Sumapa, Mr Peter, narrated how a Fulani herdsman grazed his cows on his newly fumigated cassava farm and this resulted in the death of one of the cow.
“Could you believe, I was lockup for almost a month, taken to court and at the end made to pay N150,000. My Chief was among those who blamed me for fumigating my farm saying I should have allowed the cattle to eat my farm. But when the same herdsmen was caught in my farmer again grazing his cattle and even uprooting my cassava to feed his cattle on Sunday when he knew I wouldn’t be coming to farm, I reported him at the Mpape police station and he was arrested. The police came to my farm and saw how he destroyed the farm, while he also confessed to the crime.
“He was ask to pay me N120,000 for my farm, but his relatives ran to my Katampe 1 chief. The same chief that insisted that I must pay the herdsman for his cow called me and insulted me for taking such step, saying he thought I will just forgive him and let him go.
When I insisted that he must pay for what he did, could you believe that it was my own people that were quarreling me. Our leaders are sold out, leaving us at the mercy of the Fulani herdsmen,” he said.
He said he now farm close to his house, so he can monitor it.
COVID-19 affecting faming
People in the agriculture sector especially subsistent farmers have continued to feel the harsh impact of the pandemic on their businesses. Most of them have been forced to close due to the lockdown imposed by the government in a move to control the spread of the dreaded covid-19 pandemic. Farmers have lost millions, as their businesses continue to suffer, families that depended on farming are now in agitation over the non availability of markets to promptly sell their goods.
Experts in the agriculture sector have also expressed worry that a sustained lockdown could have a far reaching and damaging effects on the country’s food supply even after the pandemic. They call on the government and appropriate authorities to enact legislation to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the teeming farming population. They said that the country lose billions of dollars in agriculture due to the pandemic if the government does not rise up to the occasion.
It is certain that Nigeria government must declare state of emergency on solving the problem of herders/pastoral farmers clash to save the nation from hunger pandemic in the near future.
