Nasarwa monarch cedes Tiv farmland to herdsmen

Nasarawa Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has approved the utilisation of all the seven gazetted grazing reserves of the state for the purpose of the ranching programme in the state.
The grazing reserves are located in Awe, Keana, Doma, Assakyo, Konva, Gtata and Kurudu councils.
The governor equally directed the state ministries of Agriculture, Lands and Physical Planning, affected local government councils and communities where these grazing reserves are located, to accord all the necessary support and cooperation for the successful implementation of the programme in the state.
A statement signed by the Secretary to State Government, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, said “Nasarawa State government is completely in support of the Federal Government’s initiative, and our state is willing and available to provide all resources and support, to ensure the success of the ranching effort.
“The steps are geared towards assuaging and finding a lasting solution to the age-old challenge of farmers-herders conflict, which has been with us from time immemorial.”
Meanwhile, the paramount ruler of Akaleku in Obi Local Government Area, Zhe Augustine Alao, has been accused of ordering the Tiv community in his domain to cede their farmlands to Fulani herdsmen.
The Tiv community in the area, led by their leaders, Mr Vandesalen Shie and Moses Andrew, said this, yesterday, in a statement they jointly signed, a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun, in Lafia, yesterday.
The community also alleged that the Zhe Akaleku recently connived with the Fulani herdsmen and brought in the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the police, who arrested and detained four members of the community, at the State Criminal and Investigation Department, in Lafia, for resisting the takeover of their farmlands by herdsmen.
The statement gave names of the detained persons to include Andrew Agah, Ordam Vandesalem, Timbee Vandesalem and Motswenga Vadesalem.
“The Tiv community, therefore, wondered why the Zhe Akaleku will order us to cede our farmlands to Fulani herdsmen, even as we have settled in the area over a decade.”
When contacted, the Akaleku paramount ruler dismissed the allegation by the Tiv community that he had ordered the ceding of their farmlands to herdsmen.
“I only waded into a land dispute between the Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen in my domain,” he insisted.
-Sun