Niger can’t tackle farmers’ killings without FG support – Vatsa
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has pointed out that the state government alone can not handle the killing of farmers in the state without the support of the Federal Government.
Vatsa’s reaction followed the latest killings of 13 farmers at Angwan Maigiro in the Allawa District of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State by suspected bandits.
The dastardly act has drawn widespread condemnation from Nigerians who described the killings as economic war aimed at wiping out the farming community in the mineral rich state.
The former commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism in Niger State specifically singled out the continued killing of innocent farmers in communities around Shiroro, Rafi, Munya and Paikoro local government areas of the state since 2015 when the banditry activities began to heighten, saying that it was a calculated attempt by what he termed the “new sheriff in town” to chase the people from their agriculture and minerals rich lands.
In a statement in Minna to condemn the massacre of the 13 farmers, Vatsa declared that the time to take the necessary action to end this heartless killing of innocent farmers was now.
According to Vatsa, “From all indications, it is now clear that there is an economic war going on where these killings are concentrated. They want to finish the natives and take over their lands, rich in minerals and agriculture, which is why I want to call on the Federal Government to immediately rise up to the occasion and rescue these people.
This situation is beyond what the state government can handle because apart from the resources to tackle it, the governor does not control the army or the police. The Federal Government can no longer keep quiet over the security situation in Niger State.
What baffles me mostly in all of these attacks and killings is that while the farmers are being killed and abducted for ransom, the illegal miners are having a field day, doing their businesses without molestation from these criminals.
So the question is, what is the relationship between the bandits and these miners? Why are the bandits not seeing these miners? Why only the farmers? There is more to this, and the government must act now and fast,” he declared.
Vatsa, a former publicity secretary of the ruling APC in the state, stressed that as long as the killings and molestation of these farmers continued there would be no end to food scarcity, especially in the state.
Furthermore, he noted that “these local government areas presently under attacks account for more than 60 per cent of food production in the state.
The entire areas can feed the whole North Central states of Nigeria because farming is their main occupation. They have very fertile lands, and the place is rich in minerals, but they are being killed and chased out of their ancestral lands.”
Vatsa warned that the growing insecurity across the country where farmers were the number one target could derail the agricultural programme and food security agenda of Mr. President.
“If the lands and the farmers are not secured, how do we address the current high cost of food stuff in the market.
There must be strong commitment and political will to tackle this challenge and rescue the people from the hands of these enemies of the country,” he added.
