The Federal Government of Nigeria has been urged by the Senate to rehabilitate and provide relief materials for people of displaced communities in Omala Local Government Council in Kogi East Senatorial District.
The development followed a motion moved by Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho representing Kogi East Senatorial District on the “urgent need to rehabilitate Agojeju-Odo, Ajokpachi-Odo, Bagaji and Bagana communities in Omala”, saying that the affected communities have been displaced due to Fulani herders’ attacks.
Moving the motion under Oder 41 and 51, Senator Isah explained that Omala with its headquarters in Abejukolo-Ife which covers about 1,667km 2 and has a population of about 176,000 has been under recurrent herders’ attack leading to killings and destruction of properties with little security effort to curb the menace.
He said the displaced persons are currently rendered homeless with the destroyed farmland abandoned for their dear lives, while he further expressed worry that the displaced persons of about 30,000 are relocating to other communities.
He said: “Aware that Omala LGA has been under recurring attacks by gunmen, leading to killings and destruction of properties and farmlands, thereby rendering many homeless with no means of sustenance.
“Worried that Agojeju Odo, Ajokpachi Odo, Bagaji, and Bagana communities have been ravaged by recent gunmen, rendering over 30,000 inhabitants of the communities homeless, leading to exodus of these inhabitants to other parts of Kogi State.”
According to him, the attack which took place on 5th April 2024, Agojeju Odo, Ajokpachi Odo, led to loss of 21 innocent lives, including women and children, in addition to unprecedented destruction of their farm produce.
In his contribution, Senator Adams Oshiomhole representing Edo North Senatorial District insisted that government must rise to the challenge and bring the killing menace to an end, stressing that there must be enough of “one minute silence and outcry”, whenever there was an attack.
The former governor suggested a stakeholder’s conference to provide a platform for a wholistic discussion on how to end herders’ attack, noting that there had been no real solution to herders/farmers attack in previous administrations.
Senator representing North Wes Senatorial District of Benue State, Titus Zam Tartenger in his contribution lamented endless killings by Fulani herders and insisted that introduction of law against open grazing will solve the crisis permanently.
He said: “Mr Senate President, Distinguished Colleagues, all over the world, what guides human behavior is the law. It is the law that determine whether our behaviour is right or wrong. The Senate is the highest lawmaking organ in Nigeria. Farmers/herders crisis has defied security effort.
“In all sincerity, let us have a law prohibiting open grazing in Nigeria. Once we have law in place, anyone engaging in animal husbandry will now know that it is unlawful to carry animals from Zamfara to Makurdi and along the way, you kill everybody on the route. Once that law is not there, everyone now becomes free to carry arms and invade other people’s communities.”
In his remark, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio describing herders’ invasion of communities as a national menace, it must be stopped, while he sympathized with Senator Jibrahim Isah over killings in Omala.
“I sympathise with Senator Jibrin Isah and thank other Senators for their contribution and I think the whole thing is a national menace. The totality of the voices here are all the voices of Nigerians and enough is enough to these killings.”
Among other prayers, Senate also resolved that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and NEMA to provide minimal seed capitals for the women and youths in the community, to facilitate their various economic activities.
