Farmers vs herdsmen: How failed intelligence, poor policing fuel crises –Investigation

* Inter security agency rivalry takes centre stage in Benue, 5 other states
* Non proactive handling of advanced security signals by govts
* Lack of coordinated security operations, information exchange at rural levels

This is not the best of times in the history of the country as the persistent clashes between the farmers and the herdsmen have claimed lives of innocent Nigerians in Benue and other five states with impunity.

But an investigation carried out by The Daily Times in six states of Niger, Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna and Nasarawa states, have revealed that failed intelligence, and poor community policing were responsible for the continued escalation of the farmers/herdsmen clashes experienced in different parts of the country.

These developments, the newspaper gathered, has led to the loss of innocent lives including that of women and children, in the unwarranted attack, with attendant material and economic losses.

The current security scenario which has often left Nigerians wondering is the level of Inter-security agency rivalry which seemingly took the centre stage in Benue and five other states, leaving behind hapless and unsecured citizenry.

A major finding from the investigation is the poor handling of intelligence reports and advanced security signals that often emanates from the flashpoints and from the rural areas. A clear example is the much advertised blame games involving highly placed government officials, governors, and relevant key stakeholders in the feud, over lethargy in acting on reported intelligence.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, the spokesman of Niger State Police command, succinctly captured the scenario in an exclusive chat with The Daily Times when he noted the degree of loss of confidence and wanton reprisal that may result in the aftermath of poor handling or neglect of complaints and intelligence reports emanating from the flashpoints.

Superintendent Abubakar further advocated such proactive measures like community sensitisation and awareness even to the rural areas, timely anticipation of early sign signals especially holding interactive meetings across the divides at the inception of the rainy season, addressing grievances on an excellent common table to pre-empt violence.

Lack of coordinated security operations especially at the state and the rural levels which often results to half hazard attention to security challenges as noted by Mr. Jubrin Ndache, the Chief Press Secretary to Niger State Governor, demands urgent attention.

When The Daily Times visited the rural areas in the identified six focal states, there was a clear absence of security infrastructure in the places, even as common as police posts were clearly absent. The challenge therefore remains on how prompt attention could be meted to emerging security challenges especially at the rural areas before the situation escalates to the reprisal level.

Ndache further told The Daily Times that the state had established security coordination centres, powered by about 91 fully equipped Hilux vehicles donated by the state government and that a meeting of the spokespersons of all agencies of government is being held to encourage information flow on security matters.

According to the spokesman, governments must be proactive and on the alert to interface with emerging security challenges, overhauling security infrastructure.

He said: ’’Community policing and participation, especially in an asymmetric warfare like farmers/Herdsmen clash should be seen as collective responsibility’’.

The dramatis personae involved in the clashes have also expressed divergent views, saying that there is the need for the stakeholders to come together and fashion out workable solutions to resolve the conflicts.

One of the concerned parties, Malam Aboki Dauda, a farmer at Gatu village, lamented the inability of government to act when he alerted security men about the threat by the herdsmen to invade Gbagi Farms and destroy their crops

He said: Even when the herdsmen were destroying our crops and farmlands, no one intervened, not even a single policeman was insight ,as the cattlemen went on boasting and destroying our crops’’

But Mallam Usman Muhammed a, Fulani herdsmen at Zungeru, decried the attitude of the farmers to herdsmen and the failure of government to remain objective and consistent in tackling the matter

He said: The farmers also are to blame by the way we are provoked even when our cattle are not entering their farmland and are just passing by. Yet, they fight us without provocation. Let us have the ranching and let government provide us security’’.

Augustine Okezie Abuja