“No cow or crop is worth a human life” – GOC Warns

By Kingsley Chukwuka

The military has drawn a hard line in the sand ahead of the upcoming farming season, declaring that it will no longer tolerate the bloodshed often sparked by farmer-herder clashes.

Major General Folusho Oyinlola, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division and Commander of Operation ENDURING PEACE, issued a stern warning on Tuesday that no human life should ever be sacrificed over rustled cattle or destroyed farmlands.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Brig-Gen Musa Sule, during a critical stakeholders’ engagement in the Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State, Oyinlola urged aggrieved parties to utilize established dispute resolution channels rather than resorting to jungle justice.

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The military command vowed to act decisively against anyone caught taking the law into their own hands, emphasizing that early warning signs of unrest will no longer be ignored to prevent the region from sliding into avoidable conflict.

The proactive security summit brought together community leaders, village heads, and traditional chiefs from Shendam, Mikang, Langtang North, Langtang South, and Qua’an-Pan local government areas, our correspondent reports.

Centered on the theme: “Deepening Collaboration to Secure the Farming Season”, the initiative was lauded by local authorities, as Hon. Christopher Wallat, Chairman of Qua’an-Pan LGA, praised the GOC’s timely intervention, noting that while the area has remained relatively peaceful, the military’s pre-emptive strategy effectively disrupts the plans of potential mischief-makers.

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Earlier in his welcome address, Lieutenant Colonel Rasheed Briamo, Commander Sector 9, reminded attendees that the agricultural season is vital for national productivity and requires a safe environment where both farmers and herders can coexist.

However, as part of its non-Kinetic approach, Operation ENDURING PEACE concluded the engagement by distributing over 950 bags of fertilizer to local farmers across the five council areas to foster goodwill and boost food security.