Nasarawa: Eggon, Fulani Agree To Lay Down Arms

There is a truce between Eggon and Fulani ethnic groups in Nasarawa State after protracted communal clashes that had dragged on for over two years. The peace resolution was arrived at after a broad and all inclusive stakeholders summit convened by the member representing Lafia/Obi federal constituency, Dr. Joseph Kigbu in Lafia over the weekend. Representatives of various communities and ethnic nationalities present at the summit expressed delight with the move and readiness by all aggrieved parties to sheath their sword. Dr. Kigbu, whose constituency is the most affected said he convened the summit because he was “worried that there is continued killing and destruction of property and it is on this basis that we decided to bridge the gap by calling all the warring factions to ensure that there is peace in the land”. In his submission, a former minority leader in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) Hon. Adamu Sule Liman urged the two communities to be vigilant because of the prevailing inability of security agencies to clearly establish the identity of the Fulani currently wrecking havoc in parts of the state.
“We know our Fulani brothers with whom we have long standing relationship so we must all be wary of who our real enemies are because there are serious doubts as to the real identity of the Fulani who are fighting in Nasarawa State”.The chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Assakoo, Mallam Abdullahi Mamuda, denied that it is the resident Fulani who are attacking Eggon communities, maintaining that security agencies have not done enough to stem the tide of the violence.
The state secretary of the association, Alhaji Abubakar Husseini, who moderated proceedings at the meeting, regretted that every ethnic group has in the past two years been affected by the violence and called on traditionalrulers to step up their intervention as according to him “all mediation with traditional rulers has been stereotypical failure”.