Communal War Sacks 3,000 Fulani Herdsmen

At least 3,000 Fulani herdsmen have fled from Katsina Alla in Benue state to Utanga in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State following the communal clash between them and the local tribes.

The herdsmen who arrived Utanga community in truck loads comprising women and children as well as thousands of their livestock are now settled in four camps and living in homes made of grasses and tree branches.

The women and children numbering over 2,000 were scantily clad while substantial number, especially children had no clothes at all.

The herdsmen came with hundreds of tiny piles of their belongings such as clothes, mats and cooking utensils scattered all over the place .

In an interview with some of them, it was revealed that others are still on their way having been displaced following inter-tribal war in Benue state which they said was intensifying by the day.

The Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Vincent Aqua on Monday visited the Utanga camp where the majority of the herdsmen are squatting and presented relief materials comprising food items, clothes to them in compliance with Governor’s Imoke’s directive that the herdsmen be provided with some relief materials.

The Director General told them that inter-state contact and discussions between Cross River and Benue were on the way to normalize the crisis situation and return them back to their home as soon as possible.

Mr. Aquah who also addressed the host communities of Bebi and Utanga in Obanliku area of Cross River State advised them to continue to display the humanitarian spirit by accommodating the Fulanis for the short period that they were likely to stay.

The Director General pointed out that the state government was putting modalities in place to ensure undue economic and social pressure were not put on the host communities and assured them of government support.

He said a health post would be established with a team of qualified medical personnel and veterinary doctors to provide health needs of the people as well as ascertain the health status of the livestock such as food, fowls and cows that came with them.

Mr. Aquah who visited an 80-year old woman Lami Wakili who took ill assured that medical attention would be given to her immediately.

The SEMA boss also promised regular supply of water to the about six thousand litre water tanks provided by the state government in the camp.

The materials distributed to them included bags of rice, beans, kegs of palm oil and groundnut oil, cartons of tomatoes and food seasoning as well as mattresses, mats and blankets.

The clan Head of Utanga Chief Joseph Suhumba commended the state government for the prompt action but expressed fears of insecurity and health related problems that could emanate from the unexpected increase in population of both man and animals and urged the state government to urgently increase security by establishing a health post to attend to them as well as veterinary personnel to see to the well being of the cattle and other animals.

The spokesman for the Fulani, Alhaji Yusuf Usman said that their movement from Benue to Cross River was prompted by the communal clash between the Fulani tribe who are mostly cattle rearers and their host communities in Benue state.

He said they sought refuge in Cross River State because of the peaceful and hospitable nature of the people and assured that the gesture would not be abused.

According to him, as soon as the situation normalizes, they would happily return to their homes in Katsina Alla in Benue state.

—Emma Una/Calabar