The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in nineteen Northern states and Abuja has called on the Federal Government to take drastic action against armed Fulani herders destroying crops by grazing on farmlands or cutting off the produce of farmers in parts of the country.
In a communique issued at the end of a meeting in Kaduna and signed by Chaplain Gilbert Jechonia, Public Relations Officer (PRO), the association said, “We call on the government to take drastic action against armed Fulani herders, who go about destroying crops by grazing on farmlands or wickedly cutting off the crops, especially in Plateau, Benue Taraba states, Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country.”
It hailed the efforts of security agencies for fighting insurgency and banditry that have contributed to the destruction of the country’s economy while calling on the Federal Government not to relent in empowering and supporting security agencies to crush the criminals.
It added that the attacks had caused mass poverty and hunger in the land, with many Nigerians barely struggling to make ends meet, lamenting that many businesses have collapsed as a result of the harsh economic situation in the country and unemployment has pushed many young people into crime.
The association called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 36 governors to live up to the expectations of Nigerians by ensuring the economic and social problems bedevilling the country are addressed, adding that they must run an all-inclusive government and ensure that development projects are distributed fairly to give every section of the country or state a sense of belonging.
It added that the President should do everything possible to address the food crisis, saying, “Nigerians are suffering as a result of the removal of Petrol subsidy. Life is becoming a living hell as prices of food, transportation and other essential commodities have gone up beyond the reach of many of the poor masses. The prices are on the increase on a daily basis.”
On the provision of palliatives, the meeting advised the government to take more concrete and realistic measures to address the problem than adopting the ad hoc strategy that will only end up enriching a few individuals.