Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, on Friday distanced himself from the cattle colony project proposed by the Federal Government as a solution to the incessant battles between farmers and Fulani herdsmen across the country.

Speaking through a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dan Manjang, Governor Lalong dismissed “the news making the rounds, particularly in the Social Media that “parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas have been carved out for the creation of colonies for cattle, in fulfilment of his promises to the Fulani who have pressured him, to either cede those areas or he faces the other side of their viciousness which may cost his aspirations”.

He stated “unequivocally that this thinking is not only the figment of the imagination of its authors, who want to make political capital out of it, but false, malicious and highly mischievous.”

“Governor Simon Bako Lalong has and does not contemplate such action and he further calls on all good citizens of Plateau to bury such imagination of these elements, who are bent on throwing the state into confusion. Cattle colonies are not in the imagination of Governor Lalong.

“Consequently, the Governor urges all peace loving citizens of Plateau State to discountenance such mischievous information but to gravitate towards issues that unite us rather than those that divide us,” the statement further said.