Herdsmen Threaten Ex-Customs officer withdraws children from schools

A retired Chief Superintendent of Customs, CSC, JohnsonAdapoyi has withdrawn two of his children from school in Abuja over alleged herdsmen attacks.

Its being already two months the former Customs officer said, he alongside his family members are in hiding now following the threats from the herdsmen.

Speaking to Vanguard on phone, Mr. Adapoyi said that he had to withdraw his 18-year-old son studying Cyber Security in an undisclosed University and his 14-year-old daughter who finished JSS3 to enter SSS1 in a Secondary School in Abuja in order to save their lives.

Narrating his ordeals, he said, “On the 5th of January 2022, Fulani herdsmen with plenty of their cows invaded my farm in Sayidna village of Karu local government area of Nasarawa state eating up my cassava crops, corn and other crops, destroying my farm houses, corn and other crops.

“There was a general chaos in the area. We watched helplessly and while the destruction continued. I reported the matter to the Mai Angwua (village head) and the local vigilante for the records and further necessary action.

“On the early hours of 8th April 2022, I received a message that the herdsmen were back on their destruction of farm. I quickly got ready and moved to the Masaka Police Station where I reported the incident. Two (2) policemen were detailed to follow me to the scene. Two of the Fulani herdsmen who were seen on the farms with their cattle, were invited to the Police Station, their statements were obtained and they were detained pending investigation. They also wrote an undertaken that they will not go into that farm again.

“The herdsmen destroyed my farm and threatened my life. I have been hiding since middle of June 2022. Some members of my family are with me except my firstsson. So, I am here with my children and my wife. It is only my son that is 22 years that refused to join us.”

The former Customs officer said as a result of the attack, he lost so many things and that he used proxies to sell his farm while hiding, adding, “I know I will not go back to that farm again.”

He also said that his 25-year-old daughter, who is a graduate of Micro Biology and working in Abuja, had to abandon her work because of the herdsmen threat.

(Vanguard)