PANDEF Rejects Settlements For Herdsmen In Niger Delta

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), led by Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Thursday warned that no part of land in the Niger Delta region would be available to the Federal Government to establish settlements for herdsmen.

PANDEF, in a statement by its National Secretary, Dr. Alfred Mulade, said the plan by the Federal Government was to create further crisis and insecurity across the nation rather than curb the heinous activities of herdsmen in the country.

“Without any equivocation, PANDEF strongly condemns the programme and hereby states that there is no land anywhere in the Niger Delta region for the establishment of such settlements for herdsmen,” it said.

It also urged the Federal Government to jettison its plan, as it was an invitation to chaos, and a plan towards Islamisation of this country.

Also, the Mutual Union of Tiv in the United Kingdom (MUTUK) has cautioned the Federal Government on the dangers of the planned Fulani settlement in parts of Benue State.

President of the society, Dr. Kohol Iornem, in a statement signed by his Publicity Secretary, Salome Sulleyol Biam, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, said such a move was a misplaced priority.

According to the statement, “considering that we have thousands of our sons, daughters and aged parents living at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Benue in deplorable conditions, yet no effort has been made to relocate the IDPs to a safer and more conducive environment. Ironically, the issue of herdsmen is taking more prominence.