•Maku: says rural Nasarawa state under siege

Gunmen are on the prowl in rural areas of Nasarawa state, central Nigeria, operating with impunity and have created fears in farmers,who have abandoned their farms.

Former Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, made the claim Monday at a press conference in Abuja, citing communities where farmlands have been abandoned by frightened farmers.

“In south Doma, around Ruwan baka community down to Amaku, there have been reported cases of attacks on the roads and even in the farms.

“In Migili communities in Jenkwe Development Area, the people are also reported to have fled their farms and homes and as I speak to you, farming activities are not going on in those communities.

“Similar cases have been reported in Agyaragu Tofa, Agwada ward, Akuruba Udenge and many other communities in the state.

“I don’t know how we are going to feed, people are not going to their farms, there are no farming activities in the state, so how will the food be produced’’, he asked.

He appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to place Nasarawa under special security surveillance to curb the spate of attacks in the State.

Maku dismissed the recent claim by Gov. Tanko Almakura that peace had returned to the state, adding that the attacks on many rural communities were continuing.

“I am very worried about this denial of the insecurity in Nasarawa state. It is important for the Federal Government to send a fact finding team to verify these claims.

“This crisis has become endemic, it seems not to be ending and we have for long lived in denial of this reality.

“My appeal is that government must continue to act on the issue of insecurity. Nasarawa should come under special security surveillance because this trend is disrupting development in the state’’, Maku said.