Lagos lawmakers back Reps’ call to disarm herdsmen

Some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday supported the House of Representatives’ call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately set up a Task Force to disarm herdsmen causing trouble in parts of the country.

Newsverge reports that the federal lawmakers on Tuesday urged Buhari to disarm the herdsmen, following their latest attack on Buruku communities in Benue.

The lawmakers condemned the Buruku attack, and urged the Federal Government to clean up the arms in the community and withdraw unlicensed weapons in the country at large.

In his reaction, the Chairman, House Committee of Health Services, Mr Segun Olulade, told Newsverge that the president needed to put measures in place to check the activities of the herdsmen.

“I strongly support this call to disarm herdsmen. What is the essence of carrying arms when we are not in a war zone? This impunity must come to an end.

“The proliferation of arms in our country is getting to a dangerous point and the National Assembly has done well, seeking solutions to curb this menace,’’ he said.

According to him, the federal government must be courageous enough to clamp down on the herdsmen, who have sent many to early graves, and destroyed properties.

Similarly, Mr Victor Akande, the Chairman, House Committee on Central Business District (CBD) said the herdsmen had done a lot of havoc, such that the call was long overdue.

“The reps are waking up to their responsibility as the representatives of the people. They are to revisit and strengthen existing legislation on arms carriage, to curb herdsmen’s nefarious activities.

“The herdsmen are aggressive and excessive; they wreak havoc on innocent citizens in various parts of Nigeria. They are not authorised to carry arms.

“It is not a joke; the reps have done the right thing. All efforts should be directed toward addressing this menace,” the lawmaker said.

Akande (PDP-Ojo I) at the Assembly urged the security to be diligent and proactive in handling security issues affecting the herdsmen.

Mr Jude Idimogu, (APC-Oshodi/Isolo II) at the Assembly, urged the government not to treat the herdsmen’s issue with a kids gloves.

Idimogu said the activities of the herdsmen had not only affected lives of innocent farmers but also the production activities in the agrarian communities.

“Lives have been lost, many farmlands, food crops and barns have been destroyed and the development has made farmers desert their farms.

“It is a serious concern; if we must have food security, the issue of herdsmen’s attacks on farmers must addressed; they are not above the law,” he said.