Senator Henry Seriake Dickson
By Barachel Ukuta
Against the background of the recent killings of people in Benue and Plateau states as a result of clashes between farmers and herders, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has sympathised with the government and the people over the incident just as he renewed his call on the Federal Government to fast- track ranching as a solution to consistent farmers- herders clashes across the country.
In his condolence message to the government and the people of Benue and Plateau states over the recent killings in the state, he said, the time is due for everyone to see this problem as an existential Nigerian issue of national security that needs to be tackled devoid of ethnicity, religion, politics and sentiments that normally colour national discourses. According to him, this is why on the floor of the Senate while contributing to a motion on this issue, he personally urged the Senate to resolve and implement mandatory ranching, support the orientation for the herdsmen and the stop open grazing nationwide.
Senator Dickson who represents Bayelsa West said, while using the newly established Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other institutions, there must be the creation of a mechanism and funding for compulsory ranching and support policy for livestock, herders, aquaculture and all other Agribusinesses across the country. His words:” A plan must be made to strengthen all the security agencies and community leaders to work together to combat and flush out all bandits and criminals from our rural areas and forests and enforce prohibition of open grazing throughout Nigeria”.
According to Senator Dickson, the Senate adopted the motion and Nigerians should do this as a National Imperative without politics or sentiments. His words: ” I have spoken with my brother and friend, the Governor of Benue State, H.E. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, as well as officials of the Plateau State Government, to offer my condolences on behalf of my family and the good people of my Senatorial District, and on behalf of all Nigerians of goodwill, over the dastardly and callous massacres that occurred recently in communities in those two States”.
According to him, Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Southern Kaduna, and some other States have not only borne the brunt of criminality, lawlessness, and brutality in a genocidal magnitude frequency, armed gunmen terrorise, ransack helpless communities, and commit mass murders in these states. He said, apart from these affected states, the level of banditry, kidnapping, and killing has affected many other States almost to the point of eclipsing the Boko Haram insurgency that has bedeviled the North Eastern part of our country for years.
He said, it not acceptable in Nigeria or any other part of the world where whenever people are attacked or maimed, killed and communities ransacked at will without consequences on the assailants and the rest of the country move on saying, that actions show that the state has failed and collapsed and therefore called on the leadership of the country to do something to remedy the problem. His words:” At this point, the leadership of this country and the topmost hierarchy of the security architecture need to have a frank and honest conversation about what to do, and do it fast”.
Senator Dickson said, the factors involved in the National Security crisis include: competition for resources leading to farmers/herders clashes, activities of illegal miners, criminal displacement of indigenous people for land acquisition, and activities of criminals, kidnappers, bandits, and climate crisis.