By Smart Emmanuel
A civil society organization, Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria (CJREN) has alleged that the Gombe State Government is planning to resettle Fulani herders in mountainous communities around Billiri and Kaltungo local government areas, a move it claims could threaten farming activities and heighten tensions in southern Gombe.
The allegation was made in a statement issued by the Director General of the Centre, Rev. Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa, who called on residents of southern Gombe to remain vigilant over what he described as an emerging security concern.
According to the statement, Governor Inuwa Yahaya recently convened a meeting with village, ward and district heads from Billiri Local Government Area, where they were allegedly asked to sign a memorandum of agreement relating to the proposed settlement of Fulani herders in mountainous areas surrounding Billiri town and neighbouring Kaltungo town.
The group claimed the proposed arrangement would prevent local farmers from cultivating land around the hills, alleging that the areas were being earmarked for permanent settlement by Fulani herders.
The statement further alleged that unfamiliar individuals had recently been seen in communities including Banganje, Billiri, Tal and Kalmai, raising fears among residents.
“These communities are under pressure and anything can happen at any point in time,” Dikwa said in the statement.
The organisation also raised concerns over what it described as growing insecurity in southern Gombe, urging Christian communities to remain alert and take lawful steps to safeguard their lives and property.
“We are calling on Southern Gombe Christian Community to rise up and defend their lives, property, land and the future of their children and grandchildren,” the statement said.
In addition, the group accused the Gombe State Government of pursuing policies it said were unfavourable to Christian communities in the southern part of the state, citing previous disagreements over traditional leadership in the Tangale Chiefdom. It also drew comparisons with events that occurred in Kaduna State during the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
However, the Centre did not provide evidence to substantiate its allegations, and AFRICA PRIME NEWS has not independently verified the claims.
As of the time of filing this report, the Gombe State Government had not responded to the allegations contained in the statement.
