Monarch Raises the Alarm over Herdsmen’ Threat to Farmers in Adamawa LG

Daji Sani in Yola

The Hama Batta of Demsa Local Government Area in Adamawa State, Alhamdu Teneke has revealed that suspected herdsmen had said they would not allow farmers to access their farms in Numan federation, comprising of Demsa, Numan, Lamurde, Shellang and Guyuk local government areas of the state.

The paramount ruler, who was addressing a team of the UN- Women Media Network on advocacy visit to his palace yesterday in Demsa, said the herdsmen had threatened that even if the farmers cultivated their farms, they (herdsmen) are going to destroy their farmlands, THISDAY has learnt. “But we have informed the government about the incident. Definitely, if the government does not come to our rescue this particular raining season, our people will not be able to farm”, he said.

The chief explained that these farmers depend on their farms for their livelihoods, adding that if the farmers don’t farm, then there would be famine because they would have nothing to eat.

He maintained that most communities under Numan federation require security presence for the farmers to go their farmlands, adding that these security personnel are the ones to confront the herdsmen.

“The entire Numan people are living in fear of the unknown. In some areas the herdsmen categorically stated that they would not allow the farmers to farm on their land.”

He said if something was not done fast the state may experience a serious famine due to the incessant herdsmen attacks in the southern part and the Boko Haram onslaughts in the Northern part of the state.
The first chief lamented that the insecurity challenges in the state had served farmers quit notice and never to return to their farms for the fear that they may be killed by their attackers

He said if the attacks persist there was the likelihood that the state would experience a deadly famine and starvation particularly the Numan Federation where the herdsmen had threatened farming activities.

Alhamdu, while speaking to the UN-Women team, said women and children were the most affected by the attacks, carried out by armed herdsmen and Boko Haram insurgency, and called on the Nigerian military and police to persevere and ensure an end to the spate of killings.

While narrating how the recent attacks in the area resulted in the deaths of 21 villagers, who were mostly women and children, the royal father said they were killed while observing a funeral in Dowaya village.