Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka today revealed that cattle herdsmen attacked his Abeokuta residence a few days ago.
Relating the recent attack to the first one that happened last year, Mr. Soyinka said that the herdsmen came through a new route they created to lead them straight to his front door.
Labeling the attack as dangerous and daring, the writer, who was in 1986 awarded the Nobel prize in literature, denounced the immunity the killer herdsmen have enjoyed even from the time of Nigeria's past administration, adding that this enabled the herdsmen to continue to act as people who are above the law. He remarked that the lawless herdsmen left pain and grief wherever they struck.
"When herdsmen come to your doorstep, we are now in a very serious scene. We have to take serious actions to put an end to killing by herdsmen," said the writer.
He lamented that the Presidency and state governors had been silent about the crisis of attacks by herdsmen, insisting that citizens have to take quick action to free themselves of the menace.
“The leadership is taking this menace far too lightly," said Mr. Soyinka. He continued: "About a year ago, the President promised cattle assaults would be a thing of the past. The citizens are being told to look after themselves. We have to wake our leadership and let them know the seriousness about day-to-day life and human rights. The herdsmen are being worse than Boko Haram.”
On possible actions that citizens could take that would be felt by herdsmen, the laureate recommended boycotting the consumption of beef by people in the affected states. He also called on President Buhari to take swift action to curb the impunity of the herdsmen.
“Maybe we should have a day of beef boycott or a certain sense of action that will call the leadership to take holistic actions about the issue on ground. We don’t know when the cattle will be turned to suicide bombers. The president should order that any herdsmen who harass civilians will be dealt with in such a way that they will wish they [were] farmers.”