By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Baji community in Gurara Local Government Area (LGA), Niger state have called on Niger state government to urgently come to their rescue from constant raised attacks by Fulani harders who also allow their cattle to graze on their farm lands.
The community leader, Madakin Baji, Malam Usman Yusuf made the plea for rescue as he lamented constant unprovoked attacks and molestation by the Fulani herders who have also inflicted bodily harm on their kinsmen in the past five years.
The call for urgent action against the Fulani herders has became necessary following last Saturday's attack and causing severe bodily injuries on three indigenous farmers; Yahaya Ibrahim, Rabiu Jibrin, and Mohammed Bashar.
Yusuf recalled how one of their kinsmen, Nasiru Sani had traced his mother to the farm where she went to fetch firewood for cooking, only to be attacked by some Fulani people when they sighted him on the farm, such unprovoked attacks according to him have created fears about their safety and that of their families.
Expressing fears of possible reprisal attacks and that's why the need for urgent intervention of relevant agencies to avert escalation of the crisis as according to him, "Nobody has monopoly of violence, of nobody cares to protect us and our properties including our farmlands we will protect ourselves".
Farmers, he said have not been able to freely access their farmlands since July till date due to attacks by the Fulani herders who had threatened to cause severe physical assult on any indigenous farmer that dares challenge them whenever they embark on night grazing and destruction of already matured food crops.
Despite peace meeting brokered by the Council chairman, which had representatives from over ninety households affected by the attacks, Yusuf lamented that the intruders have sustained their incursions and onslaught against the locals and therefore warned that if no one is coming to rescue them the people would be forced to defend themselves.
During the said peace meeting which had in attendance security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, NSCDC and some local vigilantes, the council chairman of, Meyetti Allah, while the SSG represented Niger state government, peace is yet to reign between the Fulani herders and Baji people in the area.
Yusuf who accused Fulani settlers in the community of inviting Fulani militia from neighbouring communities to attack them said, despite allocating some land to them for grazing, Fulani herders refused to allow peace reign as they continue with the destruction of farmlands with food crops belonging to about 92 households.
After exhaustive deliberations and resolutions reached that for peace to reign the Fulani herders should within 24 hours vacate farmlands and move to where the community had allocated to them and that there should be no more further attacks, Yusuf said the Fulani reneged and have continued to attack local farmers causing wanton destruction of properties. NNL
