Menace of Fulani herdsmen in Nsukka: Lawyers to the rescue

When a situation gets out of hand, different measures could be devised to bring such situation under control. And nothing could be spared and no one overlooked in ensuring that positive solutions are found.

Such is the situation in Igbo-Etiti LGA of Enugu State, where Fulani herdsmen and their cattle have allegedly wreaked a lot of havoc in the area, with the herdsmen allegedly committing various crimes ranging from armed robbery, rape to kidnapping.

Aku Diewa Lawyers’ Forum (ADLAWF) in Igbo-Etiti L.G.A., Enugu State, has therefore sought legal and peaceful means to bring these nefarious activities to an end.

The forum recently raised the alarm over the continued menace of the Fulani cattle rearers in their area and called on the State House of Assembly to enact a bill to check their excesses.

The forum made the call when they paid a courtesy call on the Area Commander, Nsukka Zone, Musa Ros-Amson Haladu (ASP), and also revealed that Fulani herdsmen and their cattle have wreaked a lot of havoc in the area where they perpetuate the various alleged crimes.

According to the forum, “The cows destroy farms and crops unabated without pity for owners of those farms and go scot-free without fear. We are appealing to the House of Assembly to enact a bill to check the excesses of the herdsmen while Igbo-Etiti Legislative Council should, as well, pass a bye-law which would serve as a proactive measure with which to check the herdsmen’s excesses.

“It will also enable the police act and prosecute offenders because the menace of the herdsmen has become a source of great worry to citizens of the area as they do not go freely to their farms for fear of molestation and rape which have become a recurring decimal in recent past.”

The forum which spoke through their Chairman, Chijioke Ogbobe used the opportunity to commend Haladu (ACP) and his men for strengthening security network in Enugu North Senatorial Zone by maintaining peace and order for over three years in the area. He disclosed that the forum seeks to partner with the police to explore avenues of sustainable assistance to enable the police carry out the onerous task of crime prevention and detection in the geo-political zone.

According to him, “the singular efforts of the Area Commander in policing Nsukka Zone and its environs was what endeared the command to the hearts of people. The 2014 Christmas was a clear testimony of police vibrancy and commitment to duty on distress calls as there were no cries of woe. There was no case of armed robbery, car snatching, rape, kidnap and other related ills or social vices in the area.”

He stressed that ADLAWF was formed in 2009 with over 200 members to act as a rallying point for members of the legal profession of Aku origin in Igbo-Etiti LGA, with the aim and objective of promoting socio-political growth in relationship with the practice of the legal profession in the area.  Ogbobe urged the Area Commander to extend his hands of fellowship to the forum to foster peace, unity and progress in order to make the zone a crime-free area, especially as incumbent governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is from Nsukka Zone.

The actions of ADLAWF are believed to have raised the confidence of residents of Igbo-Etiti LGA, with the hope that their sufferings will soon be a thing of the past.

In his response, the Area Commander, ACP Ros-Amson Haladu thanked the forum for the visit which he said was the first of its kind since his posting to the area, adding that the visit will spur the command to more fruitful operations to secure lives and make the area habitable for visitors and residents of the zone together with the university community.

ACP Haladu noted that he met seven police divisions when he assumed duty as the Area Commander barely three years ago but that the number has risen to 11 police divisions with 22 Hilux SUVs and eight KIA saloon cars for effective policing of the zone, appealing to the forum and the general public, to partner with the police by giving useful information in order to expose the ills in the community.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/menace-of-fulani-herdsmen-in-nsukka-lawyers-to-the-rescue/#sthash.MTWOGcu0.dpuf