News
Insecurity: Herdsmen, farmers now carry AK-47 – Gov. Lalong laments
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, on Tuesday, lamented the proliferation of arms including AK-47 rifles amongst herders and farmers in the country.
Lalong, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, stressed that the full implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan was the solution to the frequent skirmishes between host farmers and nomadic cattle rearers..
He stated this while featuring on Channels Televisionâs âSunrise Dailyâ monitored by The PUNCH.
The governor insisted that open grazing must be banned and the ranching system of cattle breeding must be embraced by all to experience peace in the country.
He said, âToday, we are now seeing the hazard of allowing people do open grazing here and there. But they (herders) also want solution; by the time you explain to them, they also want to stay in one place, they would also want to keep away from carrying AK-47. Iâm not justifying anybody to carry AK-47 but donât forget that in the course of our deliberations and investigations, it was not only Fulani herdsmen that were carrying AK-47, even farmers were carrying AK-47.
âIt is just proliferation of arms in respect to guarding themselves. Everybody is trying to protect himself, we shouldnât allow self-help.
âAt the time there were farmers-herdsmen clashes here (in Plateau), we arrested people, farmers also had AK-47 and the herdsmen were also holding AK-47 too. But if you want all of them not to hold AK-47 again, you must put deliberate efforts to curtail the influx of light arms and secondly find ways to take these people away from the old type of farming and then introduce them to the modern system.â
Of late, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has come under fire for saying herdsmen carry AK-47 rifles for self-defence. The comment generated outrage with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, knocking the Bauchi governor for supporting criminality.
Man celebrates growth, moves roadside âsuyaâ business to big shop in UK
Supreme court dismisses suit challenging establishment of EFCC act
Kogi University dismisses four lecturers for sexu@l misconduct and examination malpractice
âCurrent economic situation has made it difficult to provide decent meals for inmates” â Nigerian Correctional Service
Missing 35-year-old man found dead near Ogun stream
Auto crash claims three lives in Jigawa
âI am not happy about itâ â Paul Okoyeâs wife, Ivy speaks on his birthday message to his ex-wife, Anita, her stepchildren, and Psquareâs split (Video)
