Panic as nomads, cattle throng Nasarawa

Nasarawa Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Nasarawa yesterday expressed worry over the influx of herdsmen and their cattle, saying the development was creating panic among the indigenes of the five border council areas in the state.

Blaming the mass movement on the implementation of the anti-open crazing law in neighbouring Benue, said the people and government were hitherto living in peace.

Al-Makura, who addressed newsmen shortly before a meeting with security chiefs and community leaders at Government House, Lafia, noted: “A substantial number of herdsmen have migrated from Benue to Nasarawa in the past few days. I gather that there are panic movement of people in Awe, Keana, Obi and Doma local government areas for fear of attacks.”

He went on: “One of the major causes of herdsmen- farmers’ clashes in the state is the encroachment of grazing reserves. We must recover these areas.

“The two grazing reserves in Awe and Keana local governments have been gazetted and must guard them against encroachment. We must also recover the ones in Gitata and the other places too.”

The governor, however, assured the people that peace would soon return to the state with the recent deployment of three units of the police force by IGP Ibrahim Idris to protect lives and properties.

Calling on the affected communities to remain calm, he said more relief materials as well as medical personnel and facilities would be deployed in the camps of internally displaced persons (IDPs) statewide.

Meanwhile, his Ebonyi counterpart, David Umahi, has applauded him for cooperating with the presidential committee on herdsmen/farmers crisis.

Umahi, who also chairs the panel, made the commendation in Lafia during a visit for a stakeholders’ meeting with affected communities in the state.

He said: “I am here as the chairman of the nine-man presidential committee set up by the National Economic Council to end the herdsmen/farmers’ crisis.”

He expressed confidence in the panel to execute its mandate in the Middle Belt and other parts of the country.