SUSPECTED HERDSMEN BURN GOV ORTOM’S RICE FARM IN BENUE

According to the Farm Manager overseeing the governor’s farm, Mr Kena Iordzua, the rice farms in Gbajimba, Guma Local Government Area of the state were burnt when suspected herders came to the farm with a herd of cattle during the day and set the farm on fire at three different points, burning up to 250 hectares of lands which was estimated to be over 100millions naira

Kena said the inferno could not be put out due to the wild nature of the fire as the havoc was further aided by harmattan.

The farm manager added that security agents were mobilised to go after the herdsmen, who shot sporadically in the air as they retreated towards the Nasarawa border 

Reacting to the development, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Abrahams Kwaghngu, described the act as barbaric and a threat to food security.

He, however, maintained that the law prohibiting open grazing of cattle was still in force and should be obeyed.