……. GROUP URGES FG TO BAN MOVEMENT OF CATTLES, HERDMEN TO END CLASHES
The apex body of Urhobos, the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has called on the Nigerian government to decentralize the Nigerian Police Force or risk plunging the country into anarchy.
In a statement released by the union and signed by its President-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga, the UPU observed that it is apparent that the nation’s current security architecture cannot cope with the current challenges and that “there is a present and major need for a total overhaul of the policing system in Nigeria.”
The UPU noted: “The level of insecurity in Nigeria has become worrisome. From Sokoto to Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba in the North, down to Ondo, Edo, Oyo and our beloved Delta, particularly Urhobo land, in the South, this story is the same: kidnappings, armed robbery, cult wars, killer herdsmen, farmers-herdsmen clashes and communal strife are rife. The police structure with a central command is no longer effective and appropriate to tackle our current internal security challenges.
“Consequently, the UPU reiterates its call for state police and community policing to enable each state and community deal with its peculiar security challenges. Already, all forms of security outfits are springing up in states and communities to deal with their peculiar security situation. The executive and legislature need to move faster and formalize the decentralization of the policing architecture in Nigeria, as we have in the United States, the United Kingdom and other big multi-racial or multi-ethnic countries like Nigeria, before the current haphazard springing up of security outfits degenerate into anarchy,” Taiga warned.
In a similar vein, the UPU called on the Federal Government to find a permanent solution to the activities of some Fulani herdsmen, who have continued to kidnap, kill and rape women in their host communities, actions that have disrupted farming, the main stay of many Nigerians. He noted that the scars of the actions of these herdsmen were still visible in Urhobo towns and villages, such as Abraka, Uwheru and Olomu amongst others.
Throwing its support behind the suggestion of the Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Ganduje on making a law to ban the movement of cattle and herdsmen across the country to put an end to farmers-herdsmen clashes and also stop the criminality by bad eggs in their mids, the UPU advised that herdsmen should embrace the RUGA settlement the Kano government has built.
The UPU then clarified, “every Nigerian is free to come to Urhobo for economic pursuit, but criminals are not welcomed in Urhobo land. We are peace loving people.”
The Union (UPU) Worldwide has also called on the Federal Government to ban the movement of cattle and herdsmen across the country to put an end to farmers-herdsmen clashes and also stop the criminality by bad eggs in their midst.
The Union made this call recrntky in a press statement signed by its President-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga. While urging the government to find a permanent solution to the activities of killer Fulani herdsmen whom the UPU sa[d have continued to kidnap, kill and rape women in their host communities, disrupting farming, the main stay of many Nigerians, it noted that the scars of these herdsmen are still visible in Urhobo towns and villages, such as Abraka, Uwheru and Olomu amongst others.
The statement further reads: “UPU totally supports the suggestion of the Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Ganduje on the making a law to ban the movement of cattle and herdsmen across the country to put an end to farmers-herdsmen clashes and also stop the criminality by bad eggs in their midst. The herdsmen should embrace the RUGA settlement the Kano government has built. To ensure law and order, the Kano governor has abolished grazing at night to check criminal-minded herdsmen. Night grazing has been one of the complaints against herdsmen.”
The Union however clarified, “Every Nigerian is free to come to Urhobo for economic pursuit, but criminals are not welcomed in Urhobo land. We are peace loving people.”
In a related development, the UPU called on the Nigerian government to decentralize the Nigerian Police Force or risk plunging the country into anarchy. The Union observed that it is apparent that the nation’s current security architecture cannot cope with the current challenges and that there is there is a present and major need for a total overhaul of the policing system in Nigeria.
It noted: “The level of insecurity in Nigeria has become worrisome. From Sokoto to Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba in the North, down to Ondo, Edo, Oyo and our beloved Delta, particularly Urhobo land, in the South, this story is the same: kidnappings, armed robbery, cult wars, killer herdsmen, farmers-herdsmen clashes and communal strife are rife. The police structure with a central command is no longer effective and appropriate to tackle our current internal security challenges.
“Consequently, the UPU reiterates its call for state police and community policing to enable each state and community deal with its peculiar security challenges. Already, all forms of security outfits are springing up in states and communities to deal with their peculiar security situation. The executive and legislature need to move faster and formalize the decentralization of the policing architecture in Nigeria, as we have in the United States, the United Kingdom and other big multi-racial or multi-ethnic countries like Nigeria, before the current haphazard springing up of security outfits degenerate into anarchy,” it warned.
“PRACTICE TRUE FEDERALISM OR RISK UNPREDICTABLE CONSEQUENCES”-TAIGA WARNS
“Nigeria cannot continue to operate a unitary government and colour it as a federal system of government. This is creating avoidable tension in the polity that can explode in our faces with unpredictable consequences.” This was the position of the apex body of the Urhobos-the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide in a statement signed by its President General Olorogun Moses Taiga.
Taiga noted, “While the UPU believes in one Nigeria, the federating units and ethnicities should come together to decide the way forward. The Urhobo Nation believes in strong regional structures, control of resources by the federating units that will now pay taxes to the federal government. The federating units should also be in charge of their local security; they should continue to own schools and tailor them to their local needs, same for health facilities, etc.,” he said.
Relatedly, Taiga called on the Nigerian government to decentralize the Nigerian Police Force or risk plunging the country into anarchy. He observed that it is apparent that the nation’s current security architecture cannot cope with the current challenges and that there is there is a present and major need for a total overhaul of the policing system in Nigeria.
He said, “The level of insecurity in Nigeria has become worrisome. From Sokoto to Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba in the North, down to Ondo, Edo, Oyo and our beloved Delta, particularly Urhobo land, in the South, this story is the same: kidnappings, armed robbery, cult wars, killer herdsmen, farmers-herdsmen clashes and communal strife are rife. The police structure with a central command is no longer effective and appropriate to tackle our current internal security challenges.
“Consequently, the UPU reiterates its call for state police and community policing to enable each state and community deal with its peculiar security challenges. Already, all forms of security outfits are springing up in states and communities to deal with their peculiar security situation. The executive and legislature need to move faster and formalize the decentralization of the policing architecture in Nigeria, as we have in the United States, the United Kingdom and other big multi-racial or multi-ethnic countries like Nigeria, before the current haphazard springing up of security outfits degenerate into anarchy,” he warned.
UPU CALLS FOR UNITY, SUPPORT FOR URHOBO NATION AHEAD 2023 GUBER ELECTIONS
The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide has called on Urhobos to stand united ahead of the gubernatorial elections for 2023 in Delta state.
The UPU made this call recently through its President-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga, when he addressed the press on the topic among other sundry issues. He said, “The election to usher in a new governor to replace the incumbent is still two years away, but the undercurrents are already on, so no need playing the ostrich. I urge all Urhobos to remain calm.
“The UPU wants to assure the Urhobo Nation that it will work with all interested groups to ensure that an Urhobo emerges governor in 2023. Meanwhile the UPU urges of politicians of Urhobo extraction to put their houses in order. A house divided against itself cannot stand. I urge all parties to settle their differences. We must put our house in order before others can take us serious,”he advised.
Taiga also reiterated the readiness of UPU to seek the support of neighbours in this regrads. “We shall reach out to our neighbours in Delta South and Delta North to get their support; they also need to reciprocate our kind gesture in 2007 and 2015. As usual, the UPU remains non-artisan, but we shall watch the political space vigorously, especially the major political parties and the political engineering that will produce the governorship candidates. We shall ensure that the wishes of the majority of our people come to fruition. Our people feel it is time for Delta Central to produce the next governor and the UPU is in support of their genuine wishes and will work towards achieving it,” he affirmed.
Taiga also seized the opportunity to appeal to the federal and state governments, especially Delta State, to put economic measures in place to reduce the sufferings of our people. “There is too much suffering in the land. We see sit in the eyes of our people in Urhoboland,” he lamented.
