…Yorubas won’t take this attack lightly – Afenifere***

…As PDP says Herdsmen killings, sign of FG’s failure***

Hoodlums suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday reportedly attacked the farm of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae.

The farm is located at Ilado Village in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

It was gathered that the hoodlums did not steal anything on the farm but burnt down five hectares of the farm which, according to a source, was the oil palm plantation.

Falae was kidnapped in September 2015 by the herdsmen but was released three days later following the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari who ordered the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomom Arase (rtd) to secure his release.

Falae’s Personal Assistant, Captain Moshood Raji, (rtd) confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

He said the extent of the damage could not be ascertained at the time of his conversation with our correspondent.

Raji said, “At about 6pm, I got a message from one of the police officers attached to the farm that the farm has been burnt down by some hoodlums.

“There was no worker on the farm when the incident occurred because it was a Sunday.

“We are on our way to the farm now to know the extent of the damage.

“We have informed the Commissioner of Police. About five hectares of the land were affected.

“The oil palm plantation was affected as well as some parts of the yam and cassava plantations.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Femi Joseph, said he was not aware of the incident.

“I am not aware of it as at now. The matter has not got to my table as I’m talking to you,” Joseph said.

In his reaction, Chief Falae said the herdsmen were deliberately attacking his farm for no reason, describing the act as malicious and wicked.

He said this was the third time they would be attacking his farm, saying they also did it in January 2017.

He said, “I don’t know why the herdsmen were attacking my farm; they did it last year, they did the same year before the last.

“That is how they burn it every year so that fresh grass can come out for their cattle to eat.

“They attack my oil palm cultivation; the mature oil palm trees that have been bearing fruits to make palm oil have been burnt down.

“This is a wicked act and malicious damage. This goes beyond what their cattle want to eat.

“Cattle don’t eat oil palm. This is a malicious attack.”

In the meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party caucus at the House of Representatives on Sunday condemned the incessant killings by herdsmen in the country, saying that it confirmed the failure of the Federal Government to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.

The caucus observed that the recent hacking to death of over 73 people in Benue State and more conflicts in Taraba and other states exposed the helplessness of the government.

The caucus declared its position in Abuja just as another member from Kogi State, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, cautioned the Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, against buying into the Federal Government’s cattle colony initiative without first consulting widely with the Kogi indigenes.

The PDP caucus Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, who expressed the views of the group, noted that the government’s silence and slow response to killings suggested that it was not disturbed by the loss of the lives of its citizens.

Ogor stated, “The first fundamental duty of any government is the security of citizens’ lives and property, but it is deeply unfortunate, historically horrific and spiritually negative that under the APC government, the nation is witnessing endless rounds of senseless killings of men, women and children in Benue, Taraba and other states.

“Within the past two years, unidentified herdsmen have displaced Boko Haram in terms of mindless killings; it is unfortunate that once again, just like they did several times before, rampaging herdsmen in utter contempt for Benue State’s anti-grazing law, wantonly descended on Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of Benue State in a new year attack that left scores of dead bodies.

“Herdsmen now rank high on the Global Terrorism Index and nationwide, mindless killings, armed robberies and dastardly kidnappings have increased under the APC government, which now repays the overwhelming votes from the people with long conspiratorial silence and numb promises while the number of corpses mounts.

“Security is one of the three major commitments that the APC government guaranteed the nation at its inception, but in the usual pattern of elevating deceit and propaganda above all else, it has woefully remained unable to rein in worsening insecurity across the nation.

Citizen with additional report from Punch