By Umar Muhammed, Lafia
The Nasarawa State Government has come out swinging against allegations that it is providing safe haven for killer herdsmen, describing the claims as “reckless, baseless and deeply mischievous.”
At the centre of the storm is Prof. Zacharys Gundu, former Pro-Chancellor of Benue State University, who at a recent town hall in Benue accused Governor Abdullahi Sule of aiding criminal herders and grabbing lands from Tiv communities for Fulani settlers.
Firing back on Wednesday at a press briefing in Lafia, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Addra, said the state was “deeply disturbed” by what he called a deliberate falsehood aimed at smearing Governor Sule’s name and sowing ethnic tension.
“No Fulani man has ever approached the Nasarawa State Government for land, and no land belonging to the Tiv people has been seized or handed to outsiders — not in Awe, Doma, Keana, Obi, or anywhere else,” Addra stated firmly.
He described Gundu’s remarks as “an insult to truth and a disservice to regional peace,” adding that the state would not hesitate to initiate legal action if the academic fails to publicly retract his statements and tender an unreserved apology.
“We challenge Prof. Gundu to show proof — empirical, factual, not emotional — of any such camps or complicity. If he cannot, he must be ready to face the consequences in court,” Addra warned.
According to him, Governor Sule has invested significantly in peacebuilding across Nasarawa’s diverse communities, and such dangerous allegations risk undermining years of bridge-building between border states.
He called on Nigerians to resist divisive narratives and instead support constructive efforts to resolve security challenges.
“We won’t be distracted by political mischief or malicious propaganda. The governor remains committed to unity, justice and peaceful coexistence,” Addra concluded.