Deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, has called on the Nigerian Senate to immediately conduct a public hearing to enable all stakeholders state their feelings and experiences with a view to finding a lasting solution to the Fulani herdsmen challenge.
Ekweremadu made the call on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 on the floor of the Senate where he gave lurid details of the massive destruction of the property and lives of the Enugu community that was ravaged on Monday by the Fulani Herdsmen.
Ekweremadu saying that over 50 lives were lost while over 2000 persons were displaced and homes and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the mayhem that occurred at Uzo-Uwani community on Monday.
He said a public hearing had become necessary, just as he drew the attention of the senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki to a previously made observation on tackling the perennial conflict between farmers and the cattle rearers early March this year.
Ekweremadu revealed that he had earlier suggested the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development as well as the Committee on National Security and Intelligence to conduct a public hearing on the matter with a view to articulating a lasting solution to the challenge.
He, however, lamented that from March “up till now, that public hearing has not started. It is important for Nigerians to know that we are doing something about this perennial problem. It is not enough for us to be doing something; we must be seen to be doing something”.
“I believe that it is time for the committees to come together and commence action on these resolutions namely, to start a public hearing on this problem between the farmers and the cattle herdsmen. I say this because it is getting too late,” Ekweremadu said.
“Just yesterday, we heard that over 50 persons were killed in Uzo- Uwani Local Government in Enugu State. We heard about 2000 people were displaced and over a hundred people were injured.
“Houses were burnt, including churches. As I speak, some people who live in Enugu, especially the Hausa and Fulani are taking refuge in the army barracks and it is not good for our country”.
