Based on the report titled: Nigeria’s Silent Slaughter, published by both the International Committee on Nigeria, ICON and International Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice, Mr. Tunde Abatan, reviewed the genocidal activities of two dominant ethno-religious sects and their effects on socio- economic terrain of Nigeria and other states in West African sub-region.
To say that the last 20 years have reduced Nigeria to a slaughter slab is to say the least an understatement.
It is, because the ripple effect of such atrocities motivated by ethno- religious uprising and pervasive poverty, has led to the death of not less than 120,000 citizens most of who receive death through activities of dominant religious sects like Boko Haram and the upcoming Fulani militants with the earlier deriving it’s motivation from Herders/ Farmers clash, since it’s violent campaign commenced in year 2000.
While available literature shows that the Boko Haram sect “is an Islamist group committed to the enthronement of Islam as the only religion sanctioned by God,”Abubakar Shekau the leader who took over after the extra judicial killing of it’s founder,one Mohammed Yusuf,described as a’Salafist preacher notorious for his rejection of Western education, does not mince words in stating that the objectives of his group could only be achieved through violence-Jihad ,between the faithful and the infidels.
To underscore this,it is evident that the Boko Haram targets Christians,other non-Muslims opposed to their ideologies of Salafi-Jihad.
Obviously,it also derived it’s impetus from the 1804 Jihad unleashed by Uthman Dan Fodio during which time organisations like the United Nations was non -existent.
The Fulani herdsmen or herders,which forms the second leg of the ethno religious induced genocide of the past twenty years which has ravaged the Northeast and Northwest parts of the country with telling effects on the middle belt states,are a nomadic people spread across 15 countries in West and Central Africa,including Senegal,Mali,Guinea,Nigeria,Benin, Cameroon,Ghana,Mauritania etc.
In other words,the sustenance of violence in Northern Nigeria which has percolated to the South West and East is as a result of the international dimension from which the two groups derive their resources and strength.
It is to be noted that “the scale of deaths attributable to Fulani herdsmen attacks across the country far outweigh the amount of deaths that had been caused by any terrorist or militant group that currently exist or ever existed in Nigeria including the notorious Boko -Haram insurgents”.
Though ,there are often different narratives that has caused this unending cycle,poverty has been identified as the recruit ground for Boko Haram adherents as their Fulani militia counterparts are victims of economic malaise in Nigerian state that has over the years failed to provide decent livelihood for the citizens.
Another school of thought argued that the bloodletting orchestrated by the Fulani militia is often explained away in terms of the impact of climate change and desertification which have created conflict over arable land between the Fulani pastoralists and local farmers.
Another point quite reasonable though may be found in the proliferation of small arms and light weapons arising from the Syrian and Libyan crises while the fourth point may be explained aways as product of some desperate politicians who sow seeds of discord in order to gain political power.
Grim statistics- January 2000-January 2020:
Between the period under review total deaths arising from activities of Boko Haram Militants,a total of 52,861 deaths were recorded by activities of Boko Haram/ISIS while 18,834 deaths were ascribed to Fulani/Herder/Militants Actors in Nigeria while other others in the West Africa sub region while other Actors accounted for 44,303 .
Region Incidents:
Under Incidents Category Nigeria has 8,273, by Boko Haram,Fulani /Herder/Militant accounted for 2,121 while all other Actors has 16,334 incidents.
The Actors in this report are Bandits made up of largely of kidnappers,armed robbery etc.
It also include Boko Haram/ISIS/Islamic state/Al Queda cells in the region.
Other Actors include,Civilians/Protestors/Civil Society Groups…which uses riots,student and election protest,teachers, marches etc.
It also include Ethnic/Local Militia/Terrorist and Rebels;Fulani/ Herder/Militant Extremists;Government/Police/Army;Political parties etc;Religion/Ethnic Groups(Xtian/Muslim/Farmer/Non-Terorist/Militia made up of Shiite,/Christian extremists while the last actors consist of Unknown/Unclassified groups like Oil gangs, Kidnapping,Political, Azobmonia, Kogleweogo,Farmer, Pastoralists,etc while they are all domiciled in Benin,Burkina Faso, Cameroon,Chad Mali,Niger and Togo
The Victims Testimonial
By far the most prominent are the kidnapped Girls from Chibok and Dapchi which accounted for 276 abducted on April 14th out of which 57 were able to escape,107 found or released while”112 still remain in Boko Haram captivity.
Leah Sharibu prominent among the girls and an unrepentant Christian who still remains in captivity was among others a victim of Boko Haram and specifically,ISIS West Africa.
Besides the human casualties,134,028 acres of farmland are in the hands of Fulani herders.
In spite of her please,”Pity me and get me out of this serious situation”cry by Leah Sharibu,no freedom yet.
Besides, these atrocities,Irigwe land,a predominantly Christian community of Bassa local government of Plateau state with a population of 100,000 in the middle belt and north are under serious land grabbing attack which left deaths through slaughter in it’s wake.
Yet,another village like Daffo,in Bokkos local government area.
Between January -July 2018,82 farmers were killed on their farms while 7 villages,50 homes destroyed with 5,000 displaced.
Although, President Muhammadu Buhari visits Plateau to unveil a Peace Plan, in March,it did not stop 35 more deaths in May and left 7000 internally displaced people in it’s wake.
Yet,in spite of the enactment of Open grazing prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 passed by Benue state house of assembly threats made by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hire,of which President Buhari is Patron has made this laws ineffectual as the latter mobilised Fulani across West Africa to invade Benue claiming it is the original inhabitants of the Benue Valley.
In spite of interventions in forms of letters to Federal government of Nigeria by Benue state,judgements by Ecowas courts in specific cases,recognition but Congress of the United States of America through letters to President Buhari, in 2019 and Parliamentary debates by British House of Lords,the unequalled Genocide in Nigeria persists as a result of Nigerian states indifference due primarily to lack of political will.
