Governor Yari of Zamfara, chairman of NGF

Anka Emirate in Zamfara says it will merge scattered Fulani settlements into single towns and villages to complement the Federal Government’s effort in tackling insecurity in the area.

The Emir of Anka and Chairman of Zamfara Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad said this while speaking with newsmen in Anka on Thursday.

Ahmad said the system was part of proposed measures by the emirate to complement government in promoting security, peace and stability in the area.

“What we are proposing is like a ranching system that the Federal Government proposed to address farmers/herdsmen clashes in the country.

“We want to reduce large number of scattered Fulani settlements into towns and villages, we think this will assist in addressing security challenges in this area.

“We think this will assist in tracing new herders coming to our area and to easily identify all Fulani settlements in this area.

“We have been advising Fulanis on this even before now, because apart from its impact on security, it will also be easy for government to provide social amenities for them,’’ he said.

According to him, we are making arrangements on how to contact authorities to actualise this proposal.

The traditional ruler said the move became necessary due to the security challenges we are facing, adding “I remember the Emir of Argungu in Kebbi state introduce something like this in his area and it yielded positive result,’’ he said.

The emir also lauded the Federal Government for the deployment of security troops to the area, saying that both bandits attack and kidnapping had reduced.

“The only area we are having few challenges in Anka are in Southern Wuya and Eastern parts of Bagega, where we have boundaries with Bungudu and Maru Local Governments and a big forest that shares boundaries with Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna, Bena in Kebbi and some parts of Niger state,’’ he said.

The emir added that apart from hundreds of widows and orphans of bandits’ attacks in the area, more than 29,000 persons had been displaced from their communities in the area, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

He commended Anka Emirate Foundation for supporting victims of attacks in the area with food items as well as healthcare services.