Farmers/herders clashes: ‘Students no longer pay school fees’

The Provost of College of Education, KatsinaAla in Benue State, Prof. Mathias Nder has complained that some students of the institution could no longer pay their fees following incessant crisis between the Fulani herders and farmers in the state.

“Some of our students can no longer pay their school fees because their parents are affected by the incessant attacks resulting from Fulani herdsmen insurgency. Some parents have died while many others are now internally displaced and so cannot afford school fees for their wards any longer,” Nder Siad.

The provost who reiterated that the institution was being indirectly affected in many ways by the incessant crisis bedevilling parts of the state, told journalists in Makurdi that the challenge needed to be addressed urgently.

He appealed to all Nigerians to view the insurgency involving herders as a national problem and rise in unison to condemn it as well as proffer lasting solution that would be beneficial to all stakeholders, maintaining that ranching remained the best way to rearing cattle.

Nder, while applauding the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for infrastructural investment in the institution as well as sponsoring of staff of the institution for both national and international conferences, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of students for the absence of cult activities in the school.

“We have not recorded any cult activity on campus since my coming on board in May 2015,” Nder said.