"...This would be my last post on the Benue herdsmen's killings.
Before you read this, can you please first lock up your ethnic, religious and political biases somewhere? Lastly, take a chill 💊 pill about your angst against Buhari and read with an open mind
In this country, we shout and lash out just because we see others do so. We don't seek to find out deeper about issues. Now let's do some research and knowledge seeking about this aching drift called the herdsmen's menace.
When you finish reading this, you can go on and google it per adventure I just lied to you. Thanks.
Are you aware there has been series of interventions and research in respect of the herdsmen's grazing issue? A lot of studies by diffeerent agencies have proffered different solutions over the years.
When it is stated that the problem predates this present regime, don't get cranky, find out how far behind and what has been the intervention. It's only the uneducated that get worked up by a single narrative. The problem even predates the Jonathan government but in fairness to former president Jonathan, he was more proactive in finding a lasting solution to the incessant herdsmen/farmer's clashes and bloodbath.
But because a President alone can't govern a nation, every effort of Jonathan was messed up by guess who? State governors. It would interest you that these governors mostly belong to the same politcal party with him. The effort of Jonathan to finding a permanent solution to this problem was what prompted the Miyette Allah group to appoint him as their Patron. They saw the amount of work Jonathan put into finding a lasting solution to this age long conflict.
Failure to implement that robust solution is what has led to what we are presently witnessing.
President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 inaugurated an Inter-ministerial technical committee on grazing reserves, tasked with proposing strategies for ending the herdsmen crisis.
Gabriel Suswan (PDP), former Governor of Benue state (Benue has always been the hot spot hence the choice of Suswan) was appointed by GEJ to head the political committee on Grazing Reserves. The committee got to work and the final report recommended recovery of all grazing routes encroached upon by farmers and recommended that CBN be mandated to release N100 billion to the 36 states for construction of ranches.
The National Economic Council, NEC under President Jonathan approved this recommendation and thereafter the Central Bank actually released the N100 billion.
Did you read that? N100 billion was released. I guess you are wondering just like I did, to whom was the money released?
Of course, the State Governors took the money but none of them constructed the ranches. I did not say they pocketed it o! But, it is a fact that none of them utilise the money for the purpose it was meant for.
Consequently, the House of Reps set up a committee to investigate reports that the funds have been looted by the governors and report within 4 weeks to the house in plenary. Okay, as I type this, the report is still been awaited...dont ask me why... I am as clueless as you about that too.
The current Buhari government thereafter followed up on the earlier ranching plan formulated by the Jonathan government (which N100 billion was released to the governors for) and in 2016 presented a plan to the Nigeria Governors forum (under Buhari regime) to map grazing areas in all states as a temporary solution to the herdsmen crisis, but most central and southern states opposed the plan.
Now, we are where we are today. See, it does not matter who's president, if we don't make this political leaders at all levels act accordingly we are in for a long ride...
Meanwhile, 90% of the governors who took and shared that N100 billion are walking free all over the place. That's how easy it is to get money out of our treasury and some people will pocket it without using it for what's meant for, yet nobody is asking any question.
Now, is it Jonathan that caused that? The man wanted to stop the killings and he tried to find a solution but people within his own political enclave collected the money and pocketed it.
It does not matter if Buhari continue as President or not, sooner than later he would head back home to Daura just like Jonathan headed back to Otuoke but our problems will still remain with us. If we don't come together and place a demand on all this rogues to do the needful instead of fighting each other on SM, I can assure you that problems don't go just because you blame someone for causing it.
That Tambuwal led House of Rep probe on the N100 billion? Are you asking me? Haba! Go figure ..."
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