Linus Oota, Lafia
The leadership of Alago Development Association (ADA) Youth Wing has warmed the Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, not to invite an unimaginable war in the state over his recent approval for the establishment of cattle ranches to be cited in Alago major communities of Doma, Keana, Obi and Assakio local government areas of the state.
These communities are already crisis-ridden.
Speaking during a press conference, in Lafia, President of the Association. Barr. Iliya Ashokpa Auna, said that the Alagos, who are predominantly farmers and descendants of Kwararafa, with numerous culture and tradition some of which are inimical to the culture and tradition of the herdsmen.
He said that the decision of Governor Al-Makura to approve the citing of the cattle ranches in their areas was indirectly inviting war in the area which was already under siege by the herdsmen.
They said that it was ‘unhealthy and a time bombs’ that was capable of causing an unimaginable crisis in future.
According to him, “It will naturally be of good conscious to allocate most of these ranches to areas and places like Keffi, Nasarawa and Uke local government areas which have similar cultures, tradition and speaks the same language instead of Doma, Keana, Obi and Assakio.
“We cannot fold our hands and allow our ancestral lands be allocated and taken over in the name of ranches, neither can we allow the relative peace being enjoyed in the Alago nation be disrupted,” he said.
Auna accused the governor of the state Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of re-locating all the state government projects cited in the Alago nation by the previous administrations to his place and advice him to also cite the cattle ranches in his place.
“It may interest the general public to know that more than six lucrative projects worth billions of Naira were cited in Kwandare village, the governor’s ancestral home with not more than approximate population of three thousand people.
“These projects include the construction of modern market Kwandare, construction of Kwandare –Keffi road, construction of Lafia Kwandere roads, establishment of Federal Primary Healthcare Hospital, Kwandare, construction of Lafia Cargo Airport in Kwandare, establishment of Model Government Girls Secondary School, Kwandare and the recent citing of the state office headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), in Kwandare, and the governor did not deem it necessary to locate one cattle ranches in Kwandere.
“It is pertinent to also note that while projects worth billions of Naira can be seen in Kwandere. The entire Alago communities put together cannot boast of a completed project of one billion Naira, but the governor finds same Alago communities and local governments suitable for ranches,” he lamented.
They called on Alago elders, prominent sons and daughters to rise up and join them against this undesirable decision of ranches and subsequent allocation of same to any Alago community.