The Police in Anambra have warned residents of the state against setting off a false alarm over impending attacks by suspected herdsmen.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Hosea Karma, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Monday.
“My advice is that nobody should foment rumours, create a story that does not exist, because you send panic and fear into the people to the extent that farmers are afraid to go to their farms and do their farm work.
“When you unnecessarily put pressure or fear into them and they can’t go to farm.
“And sometimes, this rumour and fear will make one group to attack the other group believing that the other group will soon attack them.
“So in order to counter them, they may decide to attack then that will create problem in the state.
“If you have genuine information, if you are bringing any information; you should be confident to say whatever information you are bringing.
“You should be confident to say I was at so, so place and Mr X Y Z said they were going to attack so so so village; don’t say they said.’’
Reacting to reports of impending attacks in some communities in the state, Karma debunked the information and said it was untrue.
The police commissioner said that in an effort to ensure safety of lives and property in the area, the Anambra government had constituted a high-powered committee to workm out modalities on how to curb the activities of herdsmen in the state.
He said the committee headed by the police commissioner also had community leaders and security agencies as members.
According to Karma, law-abiding herdsmen in the state have asked their wards not to graze their cattle at night or move their cows on major roads of the state in the day time.
He said the security committee was determined to ensure peaceful coexistence among farmers, cattle rearers, and the people of the state.
“Just yesterday, we were at Nando, in Anambra East when they said there was an attack on the area but as I am talking to you nothing like that happened.
“So we need confirmed information to help achieve greater peace.
“Gov. Willie Obiano is the man, who saw tomorrow on this matter.
“That is why Anambra has maintained this level of peace in spite of what is happening in other states.’’