Kaduna indigenes accuse herdsmen of harvesting crops

• Eight injured in Delta attack
• FG to introduce agro rangers to check violence, says minister

The Indigenes of southern Kaduna have accused Fulani herdsmen of harvesting farm crops in the displaced communities.The National President of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Solomon Kaptain Musa, disclosed this yesterday in a statement.

He said “It is poignantly clear that there would be a huge humanitarian crisis in southern Kaduna communities through starvation, diseases, lack of shelter, with
children and women being the worst hit, if urgent steps were not taken to stop them.”

Musa explained that after the bloody attack and killings by the Fulani herdsmen in the various communities, they were now harvesting farm products from the communities that they had displaced.

They accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai of abdicating his duties by waging a media war against the people instead of addressing the issues at stake.He condemned the “indignity meted out to the paramount ruler of Kurama chiefdom, Dr. Ishaku Damina, who was imprisoned for allegedly kidnapping a Fulani man.”

Musa also expressed concern at the governor’s plan to relocate the tertiary institutions in southern Kaduna, citing insecurity as his reason.Meanwhile, eight persons were allegedly injured yesterday in Okpanam, Delta State, following a clash between Fulani herdsmen and some farmers.

Trouble was said to have started when the victims challenged the herdsmen for grazing on their crops, which they had gone to harvest.It was learnt that the situation led to a violent clash during which the herdsmen allegedly attacked the farmers with dangerous weapons.Confirming the incident, one of the victims, Titus Ezenwilo, said the herdsmen attacked them with machetes and other weapons, which caused them to run for safety.

Ezenwilo said the matter was reported to the police, who arrested two suspects from the scene while others escaped.Policemen attached to Okpanam police division who pleaded not to be mentioned, said the arrested suspects were still in their custody.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, yesterday disclosed in Abuja that the Federal Government might introduce agro rangers to check herdsmen’s attacks and kidnapping.

He made the disclosure at an interactive forum with members of the Ebira People’s Association (EPA) in Kogi State.Dambazau explained the unit has already trained some members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to protect agriculture and livestock.

The EPA’s National President, Dr. Omeiza Abdulrahman, called for enhanced security in Kogi Central Senatorial District, which has a difficult topography.In the power sector, the state government disclosed that it has spent over N1 billion to improve electricity supply in the state.

The Commissioner for Energy, Newworld Safugha made the disclosure at the commissioning of Asaba Forum’s office of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).The NERC’s Commissioner, Consumer Affairs, Dr. Moses Arigu said electricity distribution companies were faced with many challenges, which the office would address.