Senator laments herdsmen attack on Niger communities
Senator David Umoru, representing Niger East Senatorial District in the upper chamber of the national assembly, has lamented the continued attack on some communities in the state by armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
He cautioned that the situation must be urgently addressed by all tiers of government before it gets out of hand.
Senator Umoru’s reaction followed the Christmas eve attack on some communities in his senatorial district, including his ward, where three people were allegedly killed in the early morning invasion and several others critically injured.
The communities are Kaure, Ajatan and Kwaki, all in Shiroro local government area of the state.
This latest attack is coming barely two weeks after some communities within the area, namely Baga, Alawa, Tunga-Sakai, Laye and Dnakau came under heavy attack from about 50 armed bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
No fewer than four people were killed in the attack and with about 1,000 cattle and a number of sheep rustled away after holding the communities hostage for several hours.
But Senator Umoru, while addressing newsmen in Minna on Monday on the incessant attacks by the herdsmen on these communities which has claimed many lives and rendered many people homeless, warned that the government must act fast before the entire communities are wipe out.
“The government, especially at the state level must wake up because the security of the lives of the people is it exclusive responsibility. A responsible government should not fold its arms and watch people being killed on daily bases, the people are left on their own.
“I have been following the development but I’m very handicapped in the sense that the issue of security is in the hand of the state government. This development has greatly impoverished the people because their cattle and farm produce are being stolen by these herdsmen.
“In my own little way, each time there is this attack, I either get in touch with the Inspector General of Police or the state police commissioner, and after the latest attack, I had a meeting with the Commissioner of Police in my house here but these are temporary measures and I think something must be done to put a stop to these killings.
“The truth of the matter is that the government needs to do something and very fast because the people are being killed, they are not secured and therefore some of them are beginning to relocate from their ancestral homes and farm land.”
He expressed regret that despite all these attacks and the killing of the people, the government has not said anything, wondering whether the people are not part of the society and does not have right of protection.
He cautioned that the situation must be urgently addressed by all tiers of government before it gets out of hand.
Senator Umoru’s reaction followed the Christmas eve attack on some communities in his senatorial district, including his ward, where three people were allegedly killed in the early morning invasion and several others critically injured.
The communities are Kaure, Ajatan and Kwaki, all in Shiroro local government area of the state.
This latest attack is coming barely two weeks after some communities within the area, namely Baga, Alawa, Tunga-Sakai, Laye and Dnakau came under heavy attack from about 50 armed bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
No fewer than four people were killed in the attack and with about 1,000 cattle and a number of sheep rustled away after holding the communities hostage for several hours.
But Senator Umoru, while addressing newsmen in Minna on Monday on the incessant attacks by the herdsmen on these communities which has claimed many lives and rendered many people homeless, warned that the government must act fast before the entire communities are wipe out.
“The government, especially at the state level must wake up because the security of the lives of the people is it exclusive responsibility. A responsible government should not fold its arms and watch people being killed on daily bases, the people are left on their own.
“I have been following the development but I’m very handicapped in the sense that the issue of security is in the hand of the state government. This development has greatly impoverished the people because their cattle and farm produce are being stolen by these herdsmen.
“In my own little way, each time there is this attack, I either get in touch with the Inspector General of Police or the state police commissioner, and after the latest attack, I had a meeting with the Commissioner of Police in my house here but these are temporary measures and I think something must be done to put a stop to these killings.
“The truth of the matter is that the government needs to do something and very fast because the people are being killed, they are not secured and therefore some of them are beginning to relocate from their ancestral homes and farm land.”
He expressed regret that despite all these attacks and the killing of the people, the government has not said anything, wondering whether the people are not part of the society and does not have right of protection.
