Armed Herdsmen Invade Adamawa State Community, Sack Farmers, Destroy Farmlands

According to SaharaReporters, some armed herders have chased away farmers and occupied their farmlands in a community in Adamawa State.

The gun-wielding herders suspected to be trans-border cattlemen, last week stormed an agrarian community in Suktu district in the Song Local Government Area of the state and occupied large expanse of cultivated farmland.

They reportedly arrived in the area with firearms concealed in sacks.

Residents of the area told SaharaReporters that an estimated 20 hectares of maize farm was destroyed by the herders.

"About six of us were working on our farmland each, when the Fulani herders arrived with large number of cattle and directed them to graze freely on our crops; after which they pitched their residential tents on the same land.

"When we tried to question them, they quickly pulled out AK-47 rifles from a bag and distributed among themselves. We had to abandon our crops and retreated to our homes.

“As it is we have lost our only means of livelihood. We're crying out authorities to come to our rescue," one of the farmers who pleaded anonymity told SaharaReporters.

The district head of Suktu, Abba Aliyu, expressed security concerns over the invasion and vowed to evict the herders as soon as possible.

He however blamed the village head of Mbai, Haban Benson, for allegedly withholding timely information about the arrival of the herders to the area.