…As 10 die in renewed Herdsman/Farmers clash
By Yakubu Busar, Jos
President Buhari and Governor Simon Lalong during a recent visit to Aso Villa
Governor Simon Lalong who openly said recently he would study the cattle colony policy being proposed by the Federal Government with a view to implementing it as a solution it the recurrent herders and farmers violent clashes in that part of country appears to be retracing his steps with a statement issued Friday
In a Government House statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dan Manjang, the governor in debunking claims that he had alloted land for the yet-to-take-off scheme advise the citizens of the state not to fret over the story he described as ‘’mischievous information” that could rupture the fragile peace existing in the state following the uneasy calm since the clashes in the state
The statement reads: “The attention of the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has been drawn to the news making the rounds, particularly in the Social Media that parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos LGAs have been carved out for the creation of colonies for cattle, in fulfilment of his promises to the Fulani who have pressured him, to either cede those areas or he faces the other side of their viciousness which may cost his aspirations.
“The Governor herein after state unequivocally that this thinking is not only the figment of the imagination of its authors, who want to make political capital out of it, but false, malicious and highly mischievous.
“Governor Simon Bako Lalong has and does not contemplate such action and he further call on all good citizens of Plateau to bury such imagination of these elements bent on throwing the State into confusion. Cattle colonies are not in the imagination of Governor Lalong.
“Consequently, the Governor urge all peace loving citizens of Plateau State to discountenance such mischievous information but to gravitate towards issues that unite us rather than those that divide us.”
Meanwhile 10 persons were reportedly killed by herdsmen in the state on Tuesday and Wednesday. The AFP quoted military taskforce spokesman, Major Adam Umar, who said eight deaths were recorded from tit-for-tat attacks in the rural districts of Bokkos and Bassa on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A Fulani nomadic herder was attacked and killed by sedentary farmers from the Ropp tribe while he was digging out sand to make mud bricks for a home.
“In retaliation members of the Fulani community attacked and killed two persons, including a woman, from the Ropp community,” Umar said.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, Umar said, five people were killed in violence between Fulani herders and ethnic Irigwe farmers in Gero village in Bassa district, 80 kilometres (50 miles) away.
