The Venue State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has implored President Muhammadu Buhari to put an end to the Visa on Arrival Policy.
This call was contained in a statement issued by the Benue CAN chaiman, Rev. Akpen Leva, during a media briefing in Makurdi, Benue State, on Friday, February 26.
The CAN chairman stated that herdsmen from countries like Chad, Mali, Niger, Cameroun, and Burkina Faso have continued to troop into Nigeria and are the ones carrying highly sophisticated weapons and killing Nigerians on their ancestral land.
Furthermore, Leva noted that Nigerian Fulani was not known for violence, but for carrying sticks in their business of animal husbandry.
“We are worried by this ugly situation and we call on the President to without further delay stop the policy of Visa on Arrival to enable security agencies to check the influx of militia herdsmen,” said the CAN chairman.
The Benue CAN chairman also called on President Buhari to openly condemn the killing by herdsmen.
“We have come to a level where anything that affect other Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, the presidency reacts with immediate alacrity, but when other Nigerians are crying, it does not worry the presidency,” he said.
He called on the federal government to enforce open grazing law and compel all those involved in animal husbandry to ranch their cattle to avoid clashes between farmers and herders.
On the recent call by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), for the creation of herdsmen commission, Rev. Leva said it is not relevant as the commission will not provide the solution to the problem of insecurity but will rather empower herdsmen to continue to attack farming communities in the country.
