Sadly, some Nigerians have been beating the drums of war. A group known as the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY) recently issued a quit notice to the Ibos resident in the North, asking them to vacate Northern Nigeria by October 1, 2017. The Middle Belt Youth Council distanced itself from this ill-conceived quit notice and accused the Arewa Youth the CNY of acting out a script from those bent on destabilizing Buhari’s administration. Surprisingly, the Northern Elders’ Forum expressed support for the call by the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups for Igbos to abide with the quit notice, stating that it was the resources of the North that was used to develop the South. A militant group in the South have called for the return of all oil blocks owned by northerners as part of their agitation. There are several calls for the recognition of ethnic identities and self-determination by various and several ethnic (minority) groups, particularly, in the southern part of Nigeria. Ijaw youths now seek collaboration with Middle belt youths in the quest to restructure Nigeria.
Mr. Abuka Onalo, President of United Middle-Belt Youth Congress, UMYC, is quoted to have said that: “We want the Middle-Belt people to be recognized and be referred to as Middle-Belt region. We want to be part of a new Nigeria where the Middle-Belt will be a federating unit. We likened our argument to the issue of true federalism. Since the South-South has been officially re-grouped as the Niger Delta region, we from the Middle-Belt should be grouped as the Middle-Belt region… We contributed in establishing the Federal Republic of Nigeria; we know what we suffered after the Civil War. There should be no reason why the nation cannot give us our own identity.”
Fortunately or unfortunately, as the case may be, Benue state lies in the Middle Belt (North-Central) region of Nigeria and must not once again be caught in the cross fire. Notably, the state, due to its geo-political location, served as the battle ground for the 1967 Biafran civil war. Arguably, most parts of the core north may be the only parts of Nigeria not to have experienced the brutality of the 1967-1970 civil war like the rest of the country, particularly, the Middle Belt region. However, I apologize in advance and gladly stand corrected in the face of better and compelling evidence to the contrary. This was a critically defining moment in the nation’s history, and certainly, not a good memory lane to travel again in the course of a nation’s history.
Middle Belters, particularly, the Tiv people, prevented the then secessionists Eastern Nigerians from crossing the River Benue over to the core northern part of the country to fight, thereby saving northern lives and livelihoods in the process. Generally, northern casualties were mostly confined to the Middle Belt region in general, and Benue state in particular, as far as the whole of Northern Nigeria was concerned. Mr. Donald Gaadi, in an article titled, “Tiv Contributions to National Unity and Stability: Time for a Tiv President”, wrote that “The location of other ethnic groups in the North today would have been different, if not for the successful resistance by the Tivs of North Central against the Igbos during the Nigerian Civil War.” Most of the soldiers that fought for Nigeria were also from the middle belt region. Equally, Wantaregh Paul Unongo observed that the Tiv tribe made more impact at securing Nigeria as one nation than any other single tribe.
Arguably, the core north is indebted to the Middle belt to the extent of the history of the civil war, in more ways than one. Therefore, environmental justice demands that the Middle Belt sub-region or indeed, Benue state, as the case may be, always appearing to be caught up in the cross fires, must be appropriately and adequately compensated and protected through large scale government developmental efforts, strategic investments and huge federal presence for all her sacrifices. The provisions of paragraph 6.4 of the 2016 Revised National Policy on the Environment is most applicable in this peculiar situation. These socio-economic intervention measures as a matter of national interest, unity and security, are necessitated by the undeniable fact that the Middle Belt region, as the gateway to the North and South of the country, holds Nigeria together like the indispensable beautiful bride. Therefore, for purposes of self-preservation and environmental protection, concrete steps must be taken to ensure that it never again serves as the theatre of war for Nigeria; not even at the behest of non-Middle Belters.
Dr. Junaid Mohammed of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, disagreed with all those calling for restructuring of the Nigerian system and urged them not to “blackmail Nigerians into an unclear and bogus system of government”. He argues, albeit, rightly, that what the country needed was competent leadership at all the levels of government and not doing anything that would weaken the centre. Incidentally, restructuring would also take care of such concerns if so designed and implemented to the letter. Apparently, the centrist governance that holds the entire country to ransom defeats the spirit and intent of federalism and sustainable industrialization from all indications.
Dr. Mohammad further observed that: “Nigerians fought for the unity of the country. It is not possible for the north to support anything that would cause disunity in Nigeria.” Many villagers in the Middle Belt sub-region of Northern Nigeria would readily show anyone where bombs were dropped during the civil war that Dr. Junaid Mohammad speaks of, but the same could hardly be said of villages in the core northern parts of Nigeria. This fact makes all the difference and presses the case for restructuring for the purposes of environmental justice, equality and good conscience.
For restructure sceptics, the need or reasons for restructuring also arises from the operation of the Nigerian Constitution. For instance, section 16 (2) states that: The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring:
(a) the promotion of a planned and balanced economic development;
(b) that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good;
(c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.
Presently, the Nigerian legislature is in the process of amending the country’s constitution to inter alia, reposition or restructure the local government system, devolve more powers to the States, and reform the judicial system to calm down frail nerves. Only such constitutional provisions to promote national unity and coherence should be effected into the constitution given the current inopportune moments in the country. Nonetheless, there must be something good about restructuring. Environmental justice would always require that the sacrifices of this region (Middle Belt) in Nigeria’s nation building and unity do not go unrecognized or uncompensated. To this extent, Mr. Femi Fani Kayode writes about Benue State that: “When Nigeria is either redefined or restructured: that is when your true liberation begins. When it comes to suffering injustice, marginalisation, mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide you have suffered more than any other…they literally took your identities away from you….”
Significantly, the federal government recently established the North-East Development Commission, comprising the states of Kano, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, and Yobe. Similarly, the establishment of a Benue Development Commission (BDC) as an eco-compensation system, would wholesomely reverse and redress the decades-long devastating impacts of the civil war and the most recent activities of herdsmen in the state. These have been detrimental and inimical to rapid growth and development in the region, especially in the Middle belt sub-region.
The agitations of the United Middle Belt Congress are to the effect that they be given their own 13 percent from electricity, Ajaokuta steel rolling mill, solid minerals and food produced in the Middle Belt. That it was for these reasons that they asked for a Farming Development Commission and Hydro Power Development Commission to provide power, modern equipment and health facilities for the region, “which Jonathan has already granted and signed into law but has not constituted the board.”
Similarly, the Bill for an Act to amend the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) passed second reading at the Senate, with Senators Barnabas Gemade and George Akume making a strong case for Benue State to be included in the HYPPADEC commission. Senator Akume contended that Benue State had in the recent past been ravaged by some natural disasters, therefore needed to benefit from the palliatives that would accrue to the member states, if the bill was eventually passed.
Additionally, the Benue State House of Assembly is desirous for the establishment of the North Central Development Commission in a joint effort with other states in the sub-region, covering Benue, Nassarawa, Plateau, and Kaduna state (Southern Kaduna). It is articulated by the sponsors of this Bill that its purpose was to help rebuild communities in these states that were devastated by the activities of suspected Fulani herdsmen.
At a meeting of the North Central Unity Bridge (NCUB), socio-cultural organization convened by Engr. Yagbagi Sani, hoped that the North-Central region would, inter alia, have a voice on the political turf, actualize their socio-economic and political aspirations, as well as play a very active role in salvaging democracy in Nigeria. He lamented that the zone had been used and abused by political actors in the past, despite its huge potentials. He added that, “the Bridge was created out of our desire for a better North-central’s role in the present day Nigeria. We have realised that with the abundant human and natural resources in the zone we still lag behind; therefore the need to have an umbrella body that can speak with one voice for the interest of the zone.”
These are legitimate aspirations and agitations over environmental justice concerns, aimed at maximal exploitation of both human and natural resources, especially for the political, socio-cultural and economic benefit of the region. Owing to the signs of the times, an otherwise socio-cultural organization now deemed it fit to transform or launch its own political platform to pursue a North-Central regional agenda at the national level, like other regions have done over the years speaks volumes. At the heart of it all is a sense of social justice, eco-compensatory justice and restorative justice, found in the genetic makeup of environmental justice pursuits in Nigeria, based on ethno regional identity.
Similarly, by way of extension to socio-economic realities, it is very hard to explain how Benue State, for instance, said to have the highest number of intellectuals from the northern part of Nigeria, languishes in miserable poverty at the average poverty rate of 59%. The state is also said to have the highest rate of crimes in the country, while also being one of the least developed states in the entire country. This is all besides the fact that the state is reputed to be the food basket of the nation with significant contributions to its GDP. Mass hunger and abject poverty naturally provide the enabling environment for crime to thrive. There is also a direct nexus between hunger (Agriculture and Commerce) and crime (Security); and Benue State is supposedly an agrarian state!
Undeniably, the underdeveloped and underperforming Benue State economy, wholly reliant on government (civil service), requires critical infrastructure together with the requisite critical manpower to efficiently, effectively and competently power it to growth, in the shortest possible time. When the River Benue is finally dredged as the Buhari administration promised on February 2, 2017, the state is sure to rise from its lethargic state to become the hub of commercial activities in the sub-region. Once again, critical manpower elicits technical intelligence, which is the quintessential power base to launch a state or country into its industrial revolution.
Environmental justice demands that only unarmed, law-abiding and peace-loving herdsmen are admitted to graze their cattle on Benue lands, and at a fee to be determined by host communities, as part of natural resource control measure. Litigation, mitigation, remediation, eco-compensation, reconstruction and rehabilitation of impacted communities like Southern Kaduna, Benue State, Plateau and Taraba states, must be exhaustively discussed by all proactive stakeholders, as recognized by their various local communities. Environmental justice respects good governance and human dignity as enshrined in sections 4 (2), (3) & (7), and section 14 (2) (b) read together with 17 (2) (b) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, respectively.
Luckily, the Benue State House of Assembly passed the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017, subsequently assented to by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom. Also signed into law were the Anti- Kidnapping, Abduction, Cultism and Terrorism bills. It is hoped that the passage of these very important laws will usher in an era of peace and security, to grow the local economy and protect lives and properties in the state. His Royal Majesty, the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, concurs that ranching was the only solution to the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Cattle rearing, not falling under the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution, is certainly a private business enterprise like all others. Hence, it lacks any legitimacy to enjoy government preferential treatment over and above all others. Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state in South-western Nigeria argues that: “Like I have maintained, cattle farming is not different from fish farming, snake farming, poultry farming, snail farming, etc. Therefore, if fish farmers are providing their own ponds and poultry farmers building their own pens, while also buying feed for their animals, there is no reason cattle farmers should not also provide their own ranch and feed their cows without encroaching on other people’s farmlands.”
Similarly, Governor Ortom of Benue State proposed that: “…if the grazing must be established, government must equally be prepared to create hunting, farming, fishing, and other reserves to cater for other Nigerians who don’t rear cows, but embrace other professions.” After all, in the unlikely event that war breaks out now, there will be no herdsmen or cattle to be found anywhere in the Middle Belt sub-region!
Unfortunately, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and its National Secretary Engineer Saleh Alhassan, already pledged resistance and defiance of its members to the Benue State Anti-Open Grazing law on May 30, 2017, describing it as “obnoxious and a recipe for anarchy”. He relies on a supposed Northern Nigeria Land Grazing law of 1965 that they believe to be subsisting. This law was repealed by the Benue State Law (BNSL) Vol. 2 of 1976, and further repealed by the BNSL Vol. 1 of 1990. All these laws were finally compiled and subsumed into the BNSL Vol. 1 CAP. 72, 2004, to effectively repeal, override and displace all previously existing grazing laws in the country including the Grazing Reserves Law of 1965, as far as Benue State is concerned.
Meanwhile, the Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku initiated a similar action titled, “Anti Open Grazing and Ranching Establishment Bill 2017’’, to “help solve the incessant herdsmen-farmers clashes and check the activities of cattle rustlers in the state.” Another neighbouring state of Nasarawa is well on course to passing its own Anti-Open Grazing law to make provision for the control and restrict grazing of animals in urban cities, schools and other designated areas in order to curtail crisis between herders and farmers. Even the Nigerian Senate on May 31, 2017, underscored the compelling need to deal decisively with herdsmen attacks across the country, describing the development as another form of Boko Haram. The Upper House also charged the country’s security agencies to checkmate the herdsmen attacks, apprehend culprits and bring them to justice.
Government and the Fulani elites owe it a duty to their people to put extra efforts in nomadic education for purposes of assimilation and integration of the nomadic Fulani herdsmen into the modern world. Government should also ensure that only graduates from this basic-education-school are licensed to move their cattle across many different geographic locations of the country. Hopefully, this venture would also be included in the federal governments’ restoration and rehabilitation efforts in the North East, under the North-East Development Commission.
Finally, let the drums of peace, security, progress and prosperity beat louder than the discordant tunes of war. The Middle Belt is no longer ready to be used or play host to any wars, especially, needless and avoidable ones. Besides, the Middle Belt region has not yet been appropriately and adequately eco-compensated for her last hosting rights of the 1967-1970 civil war. Therefore, for the Middle Belters, another war is just an unacceptable diversionary tactics employed by some selfish individuals not to develop the sub-region. Otherwise, why is nation building such a herculean task for us to accomplish, after so many years of living together for whatever reasons? Naturally, nobody could be blamed for loving their individual ethnic identities dearly and seeking what is best for their regions, provided it is all done within the confines of good taste, national unity and cohesion, because Nigeria belongs to all of us.
*** Festus Nyiwo, Esq., LLB (ABU), BL (NLS Lagos), LLM (Environmental law and policy—with concentration in Energy law and policy—Vermont Law School, USA). He may be reached at 08164493135 or festme@yahoo.com. Constructive and productive comments, suggestions, contributions etc., are all welcomed. A greater part of this publication are excerpts from the author’s forthcoming multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural publication that has a unique perspective of all things energy. It is tilted, “Environmental Justice: Pathways to environmental protection in Nigeria; Gaining from the American environmental experience. Thanks for reading.
