Gombe Deputy Governor Visits Scene Of Farmers And Herders Clash.

The Gombe State Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Jatau, has visited the area where clashes had occurred between farmers and herders in Lapan, Shogom Local Government Area of the state.

Dr. Jatua decried the recent crises between farmers and herders in the Lapan community of Shongom Local Government Area and described it as barbaric and heartless.

The Deputy Governor, who led a high-powered Government delegation to the Palace of Mai Kaltungo, His Royal Highness, Saleh Mohammed, was also in Lapan, Shongom Local Government Area.

Dr. Jatau said the situation was quite lamentable, because the people professed to know God and were religious, yet they were found perpetrating the acts of wickedness against humanity.

“From the pictures I have seen about the barbaric acts committed in the affected places in Lapan, it is quite unbelievable that those who committed these claim to know God. Religion teaches us about God and humanity, but where there is no such recognition in our behaviours, we become worst than those who didn’t believe in life in the hereafter,” said Dr. Jatau.

He said the acts were unacceptable because the communities had in place Churches and Mosques, as well as family heads, community and religious leaders, village and District Heads, who should teach morality.

The Gombe State Deputy Governor said the authorities were there to hear grievances, but wondered why some people would rather choose the path of lower animals without any sense and feelings of love, justice and fair treatment.

He vowed that perpetrators of the acts would be found and brought to face the full wrath of the law.

“We will ensure bringing to book everyone found directly or indirectly culpable and ensure they are made to face the wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to others. As the Chairman, Appointment, Discipline and Promotion of Traditional Rulers in the state, I vow to remove any traditional ruler(s) found to be involved in instigation, aiding or abating the crises,” said Dr. Jatau.

He appreciated the Mai Kaltungo, who had always inclined to peace and unity, pointing out that he has justified the recognition given to him as Ambassador of Peace while calling on the people of the Chiefdom to support the Mai for peace to prevail in the chiefdom.

Similarly, the traditional ruler of the area, Mai Kaltungo, His Royal Highness Saleh Mohammed, wondered what came over the Tangale and Fulani to fuel the web of crises in the area, because according to him, both farmers and the herders in the area had coexisted peacefully for so many years.

He said, two persons, who were purported to have been the genesis of the crises fought and wounded themselves, but had been apprehended by the security agencies.

The Mai Kaltungo then wondered why some people would take advantage of that to escalate the crisis.

He, however, gave the assurances to protect the herders and urged them to remain in the area and not to relocate elsewhere.

He called on the Tangale Community in the area to be ready to rebuild the burnt-down houses of the Herders, to provide them with clothing and food since they were their brothers, and had nowhere to go.

In the meantime, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr. Mohammed Gettado, took time to explain in Fulfulde to the Herders to rescind their decision to relocate, pledging that the government would ensure they were protected and that normalcy returned to the area.

Also, the Leader of Shongom Local Government Herders, Badikko Daudu noted that they were greatly devastated by the incident, but since the Mai Kaltungo had always shown them concern as a father, they were ready to obey whatever he directed them to do.

“We have lived in the Chiefdom for so long. Most of us, our parents were born in this place. If we leave this place where do we go to? We have no intention of relocating from here especially since we have a father like the Mai Kaltungo who has shown us fatherly love” he emphasized.

In Lapan, one of the community leaders Landa Kalawa appreciated the visit by the government and the efforts of the Mai Kaltungo to always foster peace in his Chiefdom.

Mr. Kalawa said there were in almost every community people who always allow themselves to be deceived by the devil to create deep hatred and crises amongst the people.

He prayed that an event of that nature would never happen again in the area.

Olusola Akintonde