Plateau chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) on Tuesday said that no farmer in the state has been reportedly arrested with AK 47 in the state.
Mr John Wuyep, Chairman of the Association, disclosed while speaking with our reporter in Jos on phone on Tuesday.
Wuyep was reacting to a statement made by the Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong who yesterday lamented the proliferation of arms amongst herders and farmers in the country.
The AFAN chairman said, as far as l am concern, my farmers are people, who cannot afford an AK-47. And to the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of that”.
Lalong, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum had said “Today, we are now seeing the hazard of allowing people do open grazing here and there. But they (herders) also want solution; by the time you explain to them, they also want to stay in one place, they would also want to keep away from carrying AK-47. I’m not justifying anybody to carry AK-47 but don’t forget that in the course of our deliberations and investigations, it was not only Fulani herdsmen that were carrying AK-47, even farmers were carrying AK-47.
He stated this while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ monitored by our correspondent.
Reacting to the statement Wuyep said carrying AK-47 is a big offence, farmers in the state are law abiding , they go about their business peacefully.
So far in Plateau, there has been no case of any farmer caught with AK 47 or any weapon he added.