National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly onWednesday supported the House of Representatives’ call on President MuhammaduBuhari to immediately set up a Task Force to disarm herdsmen causing trouble inparts of the country.
The federal lawmakers on Tuesday urged Buhari to disarmthe herdsmen, following their latest attack on Buruku communities in Benue.
The lawmakers condemned the Buruku attack and urged theFederal Government to clean up the arms in the community and withdrawunlicensed weapons in the country at large.
In his reaction, the Chairman, House Committee on HealthServices, Mr Segun Olulade, said that the president needed to put measures inplace to check the activities of the herdsmen.
He said, “I strongly support this call to disarm herdsmen.What is the essence of carrying arms when we are not in a war zone? Thisimpunity must come to an end.
“The proliferation of arms in our country is getting to adangerous point and the National Assembly has done well, seeking solutions tocurb this menace.”
According to him, the federal government must becourageous enough to clamp down on the herdsmen, who have sent many to earlygraves, and destroyed properties.
Similarly, the Chairman, House Committee on CentralBusiness District, Mr Victor Akande, said the herdsmen had done a lot of havoc,such that the call was long overdue.
He said, “The reps are waking up to their responsibilityas the representatives of the people. They are to revisit and strengthenexisting legislation on arms carriage, to curb herdsmen’s nefarious activities.
“The herdsmen are aggressive and excessive; they wreakhavoc on innocent citizens in various parts of Nigeria. They are not authorisedto carry arms.
“It is not a joke; the reps have done the right thing. Allefforts should be directed toward addressing this menace.”
Akande (PDP-Ojo I) urged the security to be diligent andproactive in handling security issues affecting the herdsmen.
Mr Jude Idimogu (APC-Oshodi/Isolo II) urged the governmentnot to treat the herdsmen’s issue with kids gloves.
Idimogu said the activities of the herdsmen had not onlyaffected lives of innocent farmers but also the production activities in theagrarian communities.
“Lives have been lost, many farmlands, food crops andbarns have been destroyed and the development has made farmers desert theirfarms.
“It is a serious concern; if we must have food security,the issue of herdsmen’s attacks on farmers must be addressed; they are notabove the law,” he said.
