The news of the invasion of Mgban Primary School by suspected killer-herdsmen in Nigeria has once again brought to the fore the menace of insecurity in the country.
The attack on the school, which occurred on Good Friday, left scores of people dead and many more injured. Survivors and aggrieved families have been narrating their ordeals and calling for an end to the killings.
Bernard Shawa, the district head of Nyiev Community, lost two of his sons to the attack. Speaking on his loss, he expressed his grief and frustration with the government’s inability to protect innocent citizens from the marauding herdsmen.
Mnenna Orkega, a survivor who lost her 10-year-old daughter, recounted how she and her children were woken up by indiscriminate gunshots. She attempted to escape through the window when one of the herdsmen grabbed her child and killed her.
The attack on Mgban Primary School is not an isolated incident. In February 2023, during the presidential election, there was another attack on the same community where 12 people lost their lives. The community head, Bernard Shawa, has appealed to the state and federal governments to take decisive action and end the killings.
The killer-herdsmen menace has been a recurring problem in Nigeria, especially in the northern part of the country. The herdsmen, who are predominantly Fulani, have been accused of carrying out attacks on farming communities, resulting in the loss of lives and property.
News About Nigeria understands that the conflict is often linked to competition for resources between the nomadic herdsmen and farming communities.
The Nigerian government has been criticized for its handling of the crisis, with many accusing it of being slow to act and failing to protect citizens.
The government’s response has been to propose grazing reserves as a solution to the problem, but this has been met with widespread opposition from affected communities.
The killings must stop. The government must take decisive action to protect its citizens and end the menace of killer-herdsmen.
The affected communities need to be involved in finding a lasting solution to the crisis. Only then can Nigeria hope to achieve lasting peace and security.
