…decries renewed communal, farmer/herder clashes
As part of the proactive measures to tackle challenges of insecurity, Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has convened an expanded security council meeting to deliberate and take appropriate steps in the wake of a terror alert recently issued by the US and UK.
The expanded security meeting, which has in attendance members of the state security council, selected local government chairmen, and traditional rulers, was held at the Government House, on Friday.
This is just as Engineer Sule decreed the resurgence of communal and farmer/herder clashes across parts of the state.
According to the Governor, the essence of the meeting was to take proactive measures in the wake of the terror alerts, especially since Nasarawa State shares the same border with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where it is alleged that terrorists may launch attacks on public places like government buildings, markets and praying grounds.
Engineer Sule added that, the meeting was also to put heads together with a view to taking appropriate measures to stem renewed communal and farmer/herder clashes in some parts of the state.
On the terror alerts, the Governor said it has become necessary to meet in order to strategies on how to protect the people of the state, as according to him, whatever affects the FCT, will definitely affect Nasarawa State.
“We are all aware that more countries are joining the US and UK to warn their citizens on the security alert about possible attacks in Abuja, especially government buildings, places of worships, schools, markets and the rest of that.
“Whatever affects Abuja, definitely affects us. So, we can’t wait until something happens. We said we wanted to be proactive, we could not wait until situations happen before we take any action,” Engineer Sule said.
He explained that, one of the major reasons for convening the meeting was for the security council to be proactive, get ready and to plan against all these alerts.
“It’s better for us to prepared and nothing happens than for us to be unprepared and something happens,” he added.
The Governor said the meeting will also deliberate on steps to take to tackle resurgence of both communal and farmer/herder clashes in the state, particularly in Kokona, Keana, Doma and Nasarawa local government areas.
He explained that, local government chairmen of the affected councils were invited to the security meeting to brief the council on the true situation of things.
“In addition to to the fact that, more communal clashes also continue to happen, especially the recent between Idiagba and Aba communities in Mararaba Udege area. It’s very important that we see this, especially because of the elections that are coming and some people will use the opportunity of politics in order to capitalise on it and escalate some of these problems,” the Governor said.
Engineer Sule equally decried the recent resurgence of ethnic militia attacks, which led to the killing of six people along the Rukubi/Akpanaja/Makurdi road in Doma Local Government Area, as well as the killing of a Fulani man in Giza, Keana Local Government Area.
“For whatever reasons, there is renewed farmers/herders conflicts. Unfortunately, we thought we have taken care of this once and for all but they continue to happen now more and more. Especially in Kokona, Keana, Doma and Nasarawa local government areas. And they are becoming more and more pronounced. And we have to put heads together and that’s the main reason why I invited the chairmen of the local government to come,” he stated.
In one of such recent attacks, a police sergeant was brutally murdered in Uke, while communal clashes regarding the issue of chieftaincy, especially that of Ogapa, in Oto village of Udege Development Area.
Before going into a closed door meeting, the Governor used the opportunity to congratulate some of heads of security agencies operating in the state on their recent elevations to new ranks.
He specifically congratulated the state Commissioner of Police, Adesina Soyemi, who was recently elevated to the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police, DCP Umar Shehu Nadada, who was elevated to the rank of commissioner of police, as well as the head of the Nigeria Air Force team in the state.
