Many displaced as suspected herders burn houses in Nasarawa community

By COLLINS SUNDAY

Houses were reportedly torched by suspected herdsmen in parts of Keana and Doma Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State.

The President of Tiv Youths Organisation in the state, Barnabas Zayol, stated this while speaking with our correspondent on Friday in Lafia, the state capital.

Zayol said that most of the houses burnt down belonged to about 50,000 Tiv farmers chased out of their communities by the suspected herdsmen.

He said, “I am calling on the Federal and State Governments to come to our aid. These herdsmen have chased us out of our villages and the houses we laboured to build have been burnt down.”

Zoyol identified the affected communities to include Ategher, Avewua, Ugbele Aondokaa, Ikper, Gborgyo and Uluwa Kwanankele.

A member of the state House of Assembly representing Keana constituency, Mohammed Omedefu, has assured the victims of the state government’s support.

He said, “It is an unfortunate situation and also a bitter experience that never speaks good of us as a people. But God has His way of testing our faith. I will only appeal that my constituents should be patient because the government will do everything possible to restore normalcy in the affected areas.”

Also speaking, a member of the state assembly representing Doma constituency, John Osewu, said men from the state police commands had been drafted to the affected communities to forestall further break down of law and order.

Osewu added, “Meetings are being organised with some traditional rulers and affected people of my constituency to find a lasting solution to the situation.” The state police spokesperson, ASP Ranham Nansel, had yet to respond to calls made to his mobile as of the time of filing this report.

(Saturday PUNCH)·