Gunmen incessantly raping our women in farmlands, Nasarawa monarch cries out

The paramount ruler of Agwada Chiefdom in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, has cried out over the incessant raping of women in farms in his community.

The traditional ruler, who told the News Agency of Nigeria in the Agwada Local Council Development Area of the state that unknown gunmen have been raping women in their farmlands, said the development posed a huge insecurity challenge to his community.

Sadiq, who is the Osu Agwada, said it had affected the community as women were afraid of going to their farms

Sadiq also decried the incessant armed robbery attacks in the area and called for a beef-up of security to curtail the activities of the rampaging rapists and robbers who have laid siege to the community.

“The incessant armed robbery attacks in this development area have become a serious concern not only to the residents of this area but to the entire state as it has adversely affected our lives and socio-cultural activities negatively.

“Apart from stealing of people’s properties and farm produce, they also kill and rape our women who are doing their farming activities in order to earn a living with their family members.

“This is a threat, not only to the health of the women in my domain, but it is threatening the health of the entire community. This is evil and we must always preach against it for peace to reign in our society.

“Their activities have created fear in my people, especially the women, and this has affected agricultural production negatively and I want to appeal to the security agents to beef-up security in my area, so that my people can go about their normal activities without fear of being attacked.

“Beefing up security in the area will help in curtailing the activities of armed robbers and the influx of criminal elements.”

Besides, the Chief recalled the unsolved killing of three vigilante members of Kofar Gwari village earlier in the year, and the kidnap of a man by unknown gunmen– which had created confusion.

He described what was happening in his domain as not only embarrassing but unfortunate and uncalled for.

The Osu Agwada called on the people of the area to be security conscious and to report suspicious movements of persons or groups to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.

The community leader enjoined the people of the state and Nigerians to live in peace and to tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliation.