Nigeria: Food Security And The Economic Implications Of Herdsmen's Reckless Destruction Of Farmlands

 Nigeria: Food Security And The Economic Implications Of Herdsmen's Reckless Destruction Of Farmlands

Presently threatening the future survival of Biafrans amongst the tribes of Southern Nigeria, is the very unfortunate economic implications attached. This inherent development hinges on the mindless and unabated destruction of farmlands by the marauding Fulani Islamic killer herders across Biafraland. The criminal endorsement of this orchestrated menace by the Nigerian Islamic government, is to say the least, the height of well plotted economic sabotage by a government that is hypocritically crying wolf about economic woes. 

If therefore, there could be anything like food security in the country in the coming years, the Nigerian government must as a matter of expediency, outrightly place ban on open grazing or the indigenous inhabitants particularly Biafrans, will be forced to eventually to take decisive actions. This will be premised on the fact that the Biafran race must have to be saved from the looming danger of hunger in the land which artificially is being driven by the Fulani herdsmen and their brethren in charge of the Nigerian government.

In view of the foregoing, it therefore becomes necessary to bring to the notice of the international community, about the subsisting economic strangulation that has been on in Biafraland since 1970 when the genocidal war levied against Biafrans by the Nigerian government subsided. Biafrans  then took to agriculture and peasant farming as the only optional avenue of survival. It is not gainsaying the fact that ninety percent (90%) of indigenous economy in Biafraland is essentially derived from endearing agricultural products. Other sectors of the economy such as industrialization, infrastructure and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), are lying in the hands of alien political office holders which are imposed on the Biafran people. These are opportunists who are completely careless about the general economic well-being of the Biafran citizens.

Importantly, the global community has to know that since the last twenty (20) years, the Fulani herdsmen have wantonly destroyed farmlands and farm produce in different locations across Biafraland worth billions of United States dollars. Both Local, State and Federal Governments have brazenly done nothing in this respect to sternly caution the notorious herdsmen against further damages. On a trip to Ebonyi State sometime ago on a fact finding mission, peasant farmers interviewed in Amanator and Mgbaleze Isu in Onicha Local Government Area, massively trooped out to bemoan their ugly experiences in the hands of these Fulanis that have settled in the bushes, forests and farmlands. Many of the aged women (mothers), bitterly complained about  how the Fulani cattle grazed on and destroyed vegetable gardens that were being cultivated via irrigation process. So many men complained about the criminal and wanton destruction of their yam and cassava produce by these marauding Fulani herders. Official complaints have already been lodged with the Local Government Agriculture Department and the State Ministry of Agriculture respectively. But up till date, nothing has been done to assuage the suffering of these peasant farmers whose only means of livelihood hinges on farming.

Critically evaluating these negative effects arising from the criminal and provocative activities of these Fulani herdsmen against the indigenous natives of the land with overhearing inimical consequences on the people's collective economy, it therefore becomes necessary to order these Islamists masquerading as herdsmen, to completely vacate the land. Their continued stay in the bushes, forests and farmlands, portends serious danger to the Biafran economy, besides threats to lives. Any conspiracy plotted against the success of agro-economy in the land is tantamount to economic genocide against the people. This is because of the inherent agricultural economic fortunes in the land. This agro-economy chain is what moves the farmers to the merchants, to the retailers and then finally to the end consumers. All these people in their respective categories, clearly depict how Biafrans benefit from the agro-economy drive.

The Fulani cattle herders' open graze methodology has unfortunately, affected this advantageous economic chain thus seriously extinguishing the final breathe of the Biafran economy that wholly rests on farming. This is purely the reason why the present generation of Biafrans have unanimously declared that these criminal Fulanis must vacate Biafraland so that farmers and merchants of different agricultural products can once again, heave a sigh of relief. Destruction of farmlands reduces harvest, inflates prices of harvested, marketable crops and additionally generates hunger. A stitch in time they say, saves nine!

Written by Mazi Onyebuchi Eze

Edited by Peter Oshagwu

For Family Writers Press International