Stop Acts of Terrorism by Herdsmen, Northern Christian Elders Urge FG

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) has called on the Federal Government to stop acts of terrorism being perpetrated by herdsmen across the country.

Speaking in Kafanchan while donating some food items to the victims of the Southern Kaduna  attacks, National Chairman of NOSEF, Mr. Olaiya Phillips said the activities of herdsmen across the country were threats to the country. “We condemn in totality these acts of terrorism that are going on in the  country”, he added.

Phillips, represented by the Chairman of NOSCEF, Dr. Luka Lobadungze, said innocent Nigerians were being killed almost on a daily basis by herdsmen and their property destroyed without much being done by government to stop it. He said the killings and destructions in Southern Kaduna were condemnable and urged the government to come to the aid of the victims who lost everything to the attacks.

He said the federal government must urgently tackle the security problems posed by herdsmen across the country to avoid a repeat of the havoc caused by the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east.

He alleged that government has not given adequate attention to the victims of attacks in Southern Kaduna and the Middle belt region where many communities have been destroyed by herdsmen

“Government has not shown serious concern or taken steps to address the frequent attacks by herdsmen as it did to Boko Haram in the north-east; that is why the killings have continued. NOSCEF wants to call on the federal government to flush out these herdsmen who have continued to attack and kill people in communities across the country.

“Thousands of people have been killed, properties worth billions of naira have been destroyed by herdsmen and unless the government focuses its attention on their nefarious activities and initiate strategies to deal with the situation, Nigerians may be in for difficult times.

“As far as we are concerned, what happened in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country are acts of terrorism by herdsmen. It is very unfortunate when people refer to the killings as clashes or conflicts, it is not! It is not a quarrel about anything. People will be sleeping or they will be on the farm, then these terrorists will attack them, kill them and burn their homes, so it is wrong to say it is clashes,” he said.

Receiving the food items which include bags of maize and rice, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the southern Kaduna Zone, Venerable John Bwankwot thanked NOSCEF for the donation, assuring that the items would be delivered to the victims.

He said although the massive attacks have stopped as a result of the deployment of security to the area, there had been isolated cases of killings in some of the villages as people try to go to their farms. According to him, the herdsmen were still hiding in the bushes and people dare not go to the farm.

‎Bwankwot said the victims of the attacks were facing serious starvation as all their farm produce and homes were destroyed during the attacks, and appealed to government and well-spirited groups and individuals to come to their aid.