Worried over the spate of killings in recent times, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has categorised the state as “no longer safe for citizens.

The lawmakers also urged the Nasarawa State Government to take proactive measures to end the incessant killings of citizens in the state.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Danladi Jatau, made the call while reading the House resolutions during matters of public interest in Lafia on Tuesday, brought by Hon. Luka Iliya Zhekaba, the Minority Leader of the House, over killings across the state.

Speaker Jatau appreciated the Minority Leader for bringing the matter and other lawmakers for their contributions on the issue.

The Speaker, while commending Gov. Abdullahi Sule for tackling security challenges in the state, urged him to do more, especially in ensuring the security of residents in both rural and urban communities.

The southern senatorial zone, sharing a border with terror-invested Benue State, is facing its worst moment, characterised by kidnapping and unprovoked killings, which have forced many residents to flee the area.

In other news, gunmen and suspected herders launched separate violent attacks in communities in Nasarawa State between Friday night and Saturday, leaving two couples either abducted or severely injured and heightening anxiety in rural communities.

In Giza, Keana Local Government Area, armed men invaded the home of Mr Yusuf Agbo at about 11:45 p.m. on Friday, firing shots before seizing him and his wife and taking them to an unknown location. Residents said no contact had been made with the victims or their abductors as of Sunday.

A community source who declined to be named said panic had spread through Giza LGA following the attack. He added that many residents were leaving the area, while others had resorted to prayers after repeated abductions and killings.

“We have heard nothing. People are living in fear. Many are relocating. We have resolved to take the challenge to God in prayers because all attempts to stop these attacks have failed,” the resident said.

The incident followed weeks of reported raids on Keana communities, despite assurances from the state government that new security measures were in place.

In a separate incident on Saturday, a woman and her husband were attacked on their farm in Barkin Abdullahi (BAD), Lafia Local Government Area, by suspected Fulani herders.

A resident, Mr James Ovey, told The Guardian that the herders allegedly grazed cattle on the couple’s farm and attacked them with machetes when they attempted to intervene. The woman’s left wrist was severed, while her husband sustained head injuries.

The victims are receiving treatment in a private hospital in Lafia.
The police have yet to issue a public statement on either incident.