Nigerian Catholic Bishops reject cattle colonies, warn of ‘war’

The Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria has asked the Federal Government to suggest better alternatives to the establishment of grazing colonies proposed by the presidency.

In a press statement signed by the president of the CBCN, Ignatius Kaigama, on Tuesday, the conference said the government should rather encourage cattle owners to establish ranches in line with international best practice.

“The recent mass slaughter of unarmed citizens by these armed herdsmen in some communities in Benue, Adamawa, Kaduna and Taraba states has caused national shock, grief and outcry.

“We commiserate with the families of the deceased, whilst we pray for the blissful repose of the dead and the quick recovery of the wounded. At the same time, we totally condemn such brutal massacres of innocent people. Herdsmen may be under pressure to save their livestock and economy but this is never to be done at the expense of other peoples’ lives or livelihoods.

“It is, therefore, madness to slaughter fellow human beings and shameful that we had to show the world this ugly picture of our country. If government is incapable or unwilling to protect the lives of her citizens before marauding herdsmen, people might be tempted to resort to self-help in defence of their lives and property when threatened or attacked.

“This will, no doubt, lead to the complete breakdown of law and order in the country. To forestall this, government should urgently and seriously rise up to her primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of her citizens and ensure that such mindless killings should not reoccur.

“With the array of intelligence officers at her disposal, government should also expeditiously take measures to unmask the perpetrators of these dastardly acts and their sponsors, disarm them and bring them to book. Our perilous situation calls for more security consciousness.

“It would be stressing the obvious to state that a better alternative to open grazing should be sought rather than introducing “grazing colonies” in the country. Government should rather encourage cattle owners to establish ranches in line with international best practice.

“Farmers and herdsmen have a lot to contribute to the socio-economic prosperity of our nation. A more enduring strategy must be worked out for their peaceful co-existence and mutual respect,” the bishops said.

According to the statement, the CBCN said the current situation has put Nigeria under siege. Citing the various cases of crimes in the country, it urged the Federal Government to ensure an end to the many cases of kidnapping in parts of the country, while addressing the poor economic state of the country.

“Due to unfavourable climatic factors, herders are constrained to move in search of greener pastures to save the lives of their cattle and to protect their economy and so, some unscrupulous ones mindlessly drive their cattle into farmlands to graze on people’s crops. When local farmers resist such wanton destruction of their means of livelihood, they are visited with deadly attacks.

“It is very sad to note that the spate of kidnapping in our country has risen to unimaginable proportion. Day after day, citizens are taken captive, humiliated and traumatised by heavily armed gangsters. No institution or individual is spared by kidnappers, no matter how old, sacred or highly placed.

“The victims of kidnapping and their families should no longer be left at the mercy of heartless and greedy kidnappers. There is an urgent need to deal decisively with kidnappers and drastically curb their excesses.

“Given the effective security equipment available in the modern world of high technology and considering the huge security votes set aside every month at the state and federal levels, our communities should be better policed by security agents, who are better equipped and well trained to handle the security challenge of kidnapping that is bringing our nation to its knees.”

The CBCN further called for immediate action to end the growing rate of crimes in IDP camps across the country.

“One of the bitter fruits of bloody conflicts is the ugly phenomenon of internally displaced people and refugees. Thousands of people in our country have been displaced and have fled their homes to seek a more peaceful environment for themselves and their families.

“Similarly, due to the protracted political unrest in the Cameroons, many Cameroonians have also fled their country and have taken refuge in some communities in Taraba, Benue and Cross River States.

“Reports have it that there are some abuses going on in some IDP and refugee camps. Some officials in those camps diverted materials meant for the IDPs and refugees.

“There are also reports of sexual harassment in some camps. Government should as a matter of urgency conduct investigation into those allegations with a view to checking these abuses.”

The CBCN warned security operatives and government that an urgent address of the security situation is necessary to avoid an impending war.

“Since the repeated outbreaks of bloody conflicts in different communities across the nation, we observe with great sadness that thousands of innocent people have been hacked down in cold blood. Others have been exposed to situations of unspeakable suffering. Many others have been crushed and silenced, while their rights and dignity are trampled with impunity.

“We believe that, if there is some degree of political will, our public authorities can take adequate steps to put an end to these human tragedies and save the country from the calamities of a civil war.

“It is wiser and easier to prevent a war than to stop it after it has broken out. We, therefore, urge all aggrieved parties to seek reconciliation through dialogue and mutual forgiveness. Above all, we passionately appeal to them to beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks”.

Seventy three victims of herdsmen attacks were given a mass burial last week in Benue State following various attacks by the herdsmen during the new year celebration.

The sad event has attracted wide recrimination against the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s fight against terror, with many calling for the declaration of herdsmen as a terrorist group.