The Nigerian Senate has decried increasing cases of alleged herdsmen
attacks on farming communities across the country, leading to loss of
lives and property.
The Upper Chamber further urged the Federal Government to curtail
movement of cattle in the country as a way of checkmating criminals who
disguised as herdsmen to perpetrate evil.
NAN reports that the apex legislative chamber also asked security
agencies to urgently fish out killers of one Dr Nnamdi Ogueche recently
by suspected herdsmen in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
This followed a motion sponsored by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu),
titled, “the existential threat to the people of Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu
State”.
The Senate also requested the security agencies to tackle, as a
matter of urgency, the increasingly criminal activities of some
suspected herdsmen, who had taken over the farmlands in Uzo-Uwani.
The Red Chamber further urged the people of Uzo-Uwani Local
Government and Adaba Community to maintain the peace while more
effective strategies were being devised by the Federal and the Enugu
State Governments to deal with the heinous activities of herdsmen on
their land.
Leading debate on the motion, Utazi said that the late Ogueche was
killed for condemning the violent take over of farmlands in Uzo-Uwani.
He noted that Dr Ogueche was shot at about 5 pm on Wednesday, March
20, 2019, while on his way to Enugu from Umulokpa, Uzo-Uwani Local
Government in Enugu State.
Utazi said that the deceased had earlier in the day, attended a
meeting between herder and community members in Adaba village to discuss
wanton destruction of farmlands and crops by cattle.
The lawmaker said, Ogueche, the spokesman during the meeting alleged
that herders destroyed peoples’ farmlands and were raping women.
Utazi said the deceased left behind a wife, three children and aged parents, lamenting that they were without support.
Contributing, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu urged the Senate to ensure that
state police was created, stressing that the present Police Force was
centralised and would not effectively address escalating insecurity in
the country.
The president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, in his remarks, lamented the worsening state of insecurity in the country.
He said the Senate must play its part in tackling the situation.