The Menace of Armed Robbers Masquerading as "Herdsmen" on Lagos-Benin-Abuja Road
When I was a kid, I used to watch herdsmen guide their cattle around, often times in my village bushes in Ubuneke Ivbiaro in Owan East LGA of Edo state, at my grand mother's farm and some other times within town. Were they destructive? absolutely! that was almost a given, that usually infuriates locals who have toiled to have their farms to the level it was before the destruction. These cases were considered minor infractions, annoying as they were, to some extent that was bearable because, if you were on your farm at that moment you
can at least shoo the herdsmen and their cattle away from your farmland
(not a mean feat though).
Usually the herdsmen that accompany cattle are circa four (4) persons or less, more often than not comprising of an adult, two teenage and pre-teen looking chaps. Then on their backs they carry a sheath with knives/sword and/or bow and arrow as their weapon of protection, up until recently.
Nowadays? not anymore!!!! they go around with about six (6) fully grown adults escorting the a few herd of cattle with GUNS!!! Now here is where I have a problem! These guys go around with these heavy weaponry unchallenged as far as I am concerned. Now these "cattleless" bunch are nothing but armed robbers!! hiding under the shadows of the real herdsmen who have the legitimate business of herding their cattle. This fact is significant as a result of the increased armed robbery attacks on Lagos-Benin-Abuja road. Yes that whole stretch including Benin-Lagos by-pass! by "herdsmen". Even Iruekpen-Sabongidda Ora (Police IGs hometown) is not spared of this menace, my colleagues on their way to Madam Ozolua's funeral in Sabonggida Ora in Owan West LGA, ran into an ambush of these "Fulani herdsmen" around the 24th of July 2015. Luckily they were not attacked due to the quick thinking of the driver to stop yards before where the blockade was set up.
I had a personal experience on 13th May, 2015. I was attacked by these gun totting "herdsmen" on Lagos-Benin highway, precisely at Omotosho in Ondo state alongside other passengers on God is Good Motors. We all lost valuables and I particularly lost valuables worth up to N500,000.00 they include a Samsung Laptop (Series N9), an Ipad air, and other valuables. Most annoying was the fact that we went to the police station at Omotosho, with a building looking dilapidated and not worth calling a station in my view, the officer goes "ehn! God is Good Motors if we stop una, una no dey gree stop but armed robbers stop una, una go stop", now really? that is what a law enforcement officer has got to say? to a very traumatised driver and passengers? what a disgrace! If not for the soldiers on patrol that day who ran into the ambush and gave the robbers a hot chase into the bush, the story could have been worse, in the process of that pursuit a few things were recovered by the soldiers, sadly non of my valuables were among. God bless our Soldiers!
Well what can we do about such unpolished officers? the recent declaration of Mr President that at least 10,000 people be recruited into the force should have a minimum qualification of OND certificates, if we must have a reasonably polished Police Force! The era of "F9 police number" and those that came in with such low level of qualification should gradually be phased out!
The police should be on the alert, when herdsmen herding cattle-heads are more than three (3)? that should immediately raise suspicion. Come to think of it, I heard on Channels TV News that some Boko haram members hiding under the guise of herdsmen were arrested in a similar manner as the Chief of Defence Staff was on his way to boost the moral of officers in Maiduguri. We need the police to be this alert when it comes to herdsmen on that stretch of Lagos-Benin-Abuja highway.
At least around Okpella-Okene highway we have some hunters (usually in bright red jackets) policing that short stretch though not enough, that has somewhat brought succour on that road. This needs to be replicated and supervised by the police to help stem the tide of incessant robbery by fake herdsmen.
Please Nigerian Police, this is an SOS please do something!!!The Fulani people on the other hand needs to stand up to these criminals! as legitimate livelihood of the innocent Fulani nomad is being threatened right now by the activities of these criminals! Let the real Fulani Nomad please stand up! Because the most affected are Edo people, they are highly angered and reprisal is palpable if something is not done fast! God Bless Nigeria!
Usually the herdsmen that accompany cattle are circa four (4) persons or less, more often than not comprising of an adult, two teenage and pre-teen looking chaps. Then on their backs they carry a sheath with knives/sword and/or bow and arrow as their weapon of protection, up until recently.
Nowadays? not anymore!!!! they go around with about six (6) fully grown adults escorting the a few herd of cattle with GUNS!!! Now here is where I have a problem! These guys go around with these heavy weaponry unchallenged as far as I am concerned. Now these "cattleless" bunch are nothing but armed robbers!! hiding under the shadows of the real herdsmen who have the legitimate business of herding their cattle. This fact is significant as a result of the increased armed robbery attacks on Lagos-Benin-Abuja road. Yes that whole stretch including Benin-Lagos by-pass! by "herdsmen". Even Iruekpen-Sabongidda Ora (Police IGs hometown) is not spared of this menace, my colleagues on their way to Madam Ozolua's funeral in Sabonggida Ora in Owan West LGA, ran into an ambush of these "Fulani herdsmen" around the 24th of July 2015. Luckily they were not attacked due to the quick thinking of the driver to stop yards before where the blockade was set up.
I had a personal experience on 13th May, 2015. I was attacked by these gun totting "herdsmen" on Lagos-Benin highway, precisely at Omotosho in Ondo state alongside other passengers on God is Good Motors. We all lost valuables and I particularly lost valuables worth up to N500,000.00 they include a Samsung Laptop (Series N9), an Ipad air, and other valuables. Most annoying was the fact that we went to the police station at Omotosho, with a building looking dilapidated and not worth calling a station in my view, the officer goes "ehn! God is Good Motors if we stop una, una no dey gree stop but armed robbers stop una, una go stop", now really? that is what a law enforcement officer has got to say? to a very traumatised driver and passengers? what a disgrace! If not for the soldiers on patrol that day who ran into the ambush and gave the robbers a hot chase into the bush, the story could have been worse, in the process of that pursuit a few things were recovered by the soldiers, sadly non of my valuables were among. God bless our Soldiers!
Well what can we do about such unpolished officers? the recent declaration of Mr President that at least 10,000 people be recruited into the force should have a minimum qualification of OND certificates, if we must have a reasonably polished Police Force! The era of "F9 police number" and those that came in with such low level of qualification should gradually be phased out!
The police should be on the alert, when herdsmen herding cattle-heads are more than three (3)? that should immediately raise suspicion. Come to think of it, I heard on Channels TV News that some Boko haram members hiding under the guise of herdsmen were arrested in a similar manner as the Chief of Defence Staff was on his way to boost the moral of officers in Maiduguri. We need the police to be this alert when it comes to herdsmen on that stretch of Lagos-Benin-Abuja highway.
At least around Okpella-Okene highway we have some hunters (usually in bright red jackets) policing that short stretch though not enough, that has somewhat brought succour on that road. This needs to be replicated and supervised by the police to help stem the tide of incessant robbery by fake herdsmen.
Please Nigerian Police, this is an SOS please do something!!!The Fulani people on the other hand needs to stand up to these criminals! as legitimate livelihood of the innocent Fulani nomad is being threatened right now by the activities of these criminals! Let the real Fulani Nomad please stand up! Because the most affected are Edo people, they are highly angered and reprisal is palpable if something is not done fast! God Bless Nigeria!
Comments
Post a Comment