‘Over 2000 lives lost to herdsmen, farmers clashes’

• Suspected nomads kill four in fresh Plateau attack
Over 200 people have been killed in clashes involving farmers and herdsmen nationwide this year, the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has disclosed.

Speaking yesterday in Katsina, he said 30 incidents were recorded early this year. Represented by permanent secretary in his office, Suleiman Haliru, the SGF at an event for federal and state security administrators (FSSAM), noted: “Within the last few months, we have recorded a total of over 30 incidents of farmers-herdsmen clashes which have claimed lives of more than 257 persons within this year alone.

“States most affected are Zamfara, Adamawa, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger, Kaduna to mention but a few, including others in the southern part of the country.”Mustapha lamented that the “problem of kidnappings and abductions, which used to be limited to a geographical area of the country, had now become a national malaise.”He said with the general elections around the corner, there was need for security personnel to come up with lasting solutions to the security challenges bedevilling the nation. 

The SGF, however, called on politicians and traditional rulers to be fully involved in addressing the country’s insecurity.However, four people were yesterday killed at Nche Tahuta village in Miango kingdom of Jebbu, Bassa local council of Plateau State.

Both the spokesmen of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major Adam Umar and the Police Public Relations Officer |(PPRO), ASP Mathias Terna Tyopev, confirmed the incident.The National President of Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Sunday Abdul, also announced the sad news to journalists.The villagers had gone to the stream in search of sand when the suspected herdsmen attacked them.