Land dispute: Community mourns as gunmen kill six Nasarawa farmers

A total of six farmers of the Tiv extraction have been reportedly killed by yet to be identified gunmen in the Kadarko Community of Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Arewa PUNCH recalls that thousands of Tiv farmers in the southern part of the state had been displaced following persistent attacks on their houses and farmlands by suspected herdsmen in the area.

Investigations by Arewa PUNCH reveal that three of the victims were first hacked to death on Saturday afternoon while they were working on a farmland in the area, while the other three farmers were shot by the gunmen on Sunday morning.

A resident of Keana LGA who confirmed the incident told our correspondent that the Sunday attack occurred around the Railway axis of the community.

According to a source, who pleaded anonymity, “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.”

Also confirming the incident to our correspondent, the Chairman, United Farmers Association in Kadarko, Denis Utsa, said the gunmen had invaded Tse-Abir Azer area of Kadarko during the weekend and unleashed mayhem on the people of the area.

He explained that apart from the six farmers killed by the bandits, many survivors of the attack had escaped into nearby bushes in the community with bullet wounds.

“At the moment, the gunmen have invaded the IDPs rebuilt settlements in Kadarko, and dozens of the IDPs there have fled to nearby communities, including Giza for refuge. Punch