Six Tiv farmers were reportedly slain by unidentified gunmen in the Kadarko Community of Keana Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
Recalls that thousands of Tiv farmers in the state’s southern region were displaced as a result of repeated attacks on their homes and farmlands by suspected herders in the area.
According to reports, three of the victims were hacked to death on Saturday afternoon while working on a farmland in the vicinity, while the remaining three farmers were shot by gunmen on Sunday morning.
A Keana LGA resident who confirmed the event told our correspondent that the attack took place on Sunday near the community’s railway axis.
A source, who pleaded to remain anonymous, claimed that –
“A group of armed men invaded a disputed farmland where the three persons were working and killed them. They killed the farmers and fled before the arrival of security operatives.
“This is a clear case of oppression. Issues like this has been ongoing for some time now but because we are peaceful-loving people, we decided to allow most of the oppression that we have been facing to go unnoticed especially those that do not involve the loss of lives.
“But the oppression is getting too much by the day. The gunmen who are suspected herdsmen come here (Kadarko) almost on a regular basis to take over our lands and do whatever they like with us.
“The government has been quiet about the matter for some time now. I want to appeal that Governor Abdullahi Sule should collaborate with the security agencies to launch a detailed investigation into the issues of land grabbing and other threats from the gunmen, especially in the southern part of the state, so that we can be able to carryout our daily activities without being scared of any form of attack from the gunmen.”
cc: Punch Ng
