An Eye for An Eye...A Head For A Cattle

credit- Daily Post

I remember when it all started. It was in 2013. Vulnerable farmers were attacked and brutally murdered by armed herdsmen who took laws into their hands. It was an eye for an eye and many souls were lost in that crisis. Many more died from neglect at the IDP camps. Nigerians wondered how herdsmen could acquire sophisticated weapons. Nigerians mourned.

Peace was brokered, agreements were signed. The Benue people promised to forgive the massacre of their beloved kinsmen by the Fulani herdsmen wielding weapons instead of poles. We thought the peace would be everlasting but we were but deceived.

The news of more crisis, more massacre and more IDP camps for the displaced villagers and families greeted us last year and the year before. More villages were sacked; families and generations were lost to these mercenaries who wanted heads for each dead cattle. Cattle the poor Farmers claimed were destroying their days of toil in the hot sun. Nigerians witnessed more gory images of our compatriots slaughtered in their homes by these strange herdsmen who care nothing about the human life. The people wailed and pleaded for assistance and we heard of the deployment of Police officers to douse the attacks.



Promises that the crisis would end were made. Promises which eventually got blown away by political blame games. No arrests were made, no legal actions were ever taken to forestall a repeat. As always, the grief of the people were downplayed, the gun wielding herdsmen became brazened and more bodies littered the bleeding soil of the Benue.

Tori News

It is only twelve days into the new year and the recent horrific massacre has left us grief stricken.

How long will the Benue people mourn their loved ones? Why is the Federal Government unresponsive to the wails of the people? Who will save Nigerians from this evil wind blowing through our nation? 

It is time for our leaders to fulfill their vows to serve and protect the Nigerian people irrespective of their tribe and religious affiliations. It is time to put an end to these and many senseless killings going on in our nation. Nigerians are demanding for peace and Justice.

We are saying Enough is Enough! Human Rights must be respected in our nation and Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done.