Northern Governors on Tuesday said the Federal Government should provide funding for the establishment of ranches across the region. The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Simon Lalong, during an appearance on Channels Television’s News @ 10 said the Governors have been in support of ranching for quite some time. And, with the rise of banditry – which he said was linked to cattle rustling – and the recent quit notices being bandied across the country, ranching offers the “the only way to control the insecurity,” Mr. Lalong said. “We were advising the federal government to also give grants to states that are ready with land,” he said. “We are not saying that it is compulsory for states that are not ready. But many states in the North are ready. “We need some grants to start so that these people will not be moving here and there. We need to also keep them in one place. It’s business. So definitely, that’s the only way to control the insecurity.” Lalong, who is the Executive Governor of Plateau State, said all stakeholders, including members of cattle herders associations across the country, were on board with the idea of ranching. “But there is this lack of funds to the state, there is lack of encouragement to the state,” he said. For example, Mr. Lalong noted, the Plateau State Government has readied 74,000 hectares for the ranching exercise but needs funding to develop the project. “When you start restricting people, you must provide alternatives,” he said.

Kaduna state government has confirmed the killing of 23 people in five local government areas of Kaduna state in less than 24 hours. Daily Trust reports that the attacks occurred barely 48 hours after bandits killed 16 people in Kutemeshi village in Birnin Gwari local government area of the state. While 10 people were killed in a coordinated attack against Unguwar Gajere village in same Birnin Gwari local government area on Monday night, 13 people had lost their lives in attacks targetted at Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kauru local government areas of the state. Kaduna state Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said the attacks had targeted soft targets around local government areas around Kaduna state’s boundaries with neighbouring states. He said while 10 people had been killed in Unguwan Gajere and three injured, 13 others had been killed in Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kauru LGAs. Aruwan stated that: “In Igabi local government area, bandits shot dead one Dayyabu Yahuza between Sarkin Baka and Dankyawai village, near Gidan Kurmi. In Giwa local government area, armed bandits invaded Janbaba village, one Yakubu Sule was shot dead. In Kishisho village, Kauru local government area, gunmen suspected to be from a neighboring state killed five persons.” He further stated: “In Chikun local government area, five citizens were killed by bandits in Gwagwada-Kasaya village in Kunai ward. And similarly, in Agwa, Chikun LGA, one Bitrus Joseph was shot dead in an attack by bandits.” The commissioner said one of the bandits was killed near Bugai, in Chikun local government area when members of the community repelled an attack. He said Governor Nasir El-Rufai had sent condolences to the families that lost their loved ones and offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the slain and a speedy recovery for the injured. Aruwan said air platforms of the Nigerian Air Force were trailing and engaging bandits in some locations in Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Igabi LGAs at the time of releasing the security update. Kaduna state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige had earlier said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Umar Muri was on his way to the community but later in the evening, Jalige could not be reached for further comments. Villagers however told Daily Trust that the Commissioner was yet to visit the area at the time of filing this report.