Council Boss Decry Crisis In Riyom Due To Intolerance Between Herdsmen And Farmers.

By Yakubu Busari,Jos

The chairman of Riyom Local Government Council of Plateau State Mrs. Josephine Piyo has said that, the implications of the recent upsurge of attacks on the local communities of Riyom  who are mostly farmers by the Fulani herdsmen is to take permanent acquisition of the land, render the natives homeless and expose them to hunger, starvation and diseases.

Mrs. Josephine Piyo said that, the communities of  Bangai and Sopp of late have witnessed unprecedented fratricidal attacks from the Fulani herdsmen who are resident in the area.

She said that, the communities of Bangai and Sopp and entire Riyom and Barkin Ladi  can no longer walk freely in their ancestral domain or work in their farms because of the incessant attacks by the Fulani’s and because of that, they have fled from their homes and became refugees in other areas with children and women exposed to dangers of diseases.

The council chairman who made this known in an interaction with Journalists in Jos stated that,” farmers in Riyom local Government have gone through pains and agony for years now. It is so painful that people cannot move from one community to another as they are always ambushed and killed. They cannot go to farm lands for farming because they are usually attack and killed. The Fulani’s destroys farm crops either through using their cattle to graze on farm crops or cutting them down. This act is devastating to the communities and need urgent world attention.”

“We are crying loudly to the Federal Government, Human Rights Commission and the International community to investigate the happenings and at least find ways of putting an end to these incessant crises permanently.”

She said that,” the deaths of mostly women and children and other properties destroyed as a result of the attacks is so alarming and we have graphic records of them  in pictures and written reports to substantiate it. We have presented it to investigative committee from the National Assembly and Inspector General Peace committee during their visits to the state.”

Mrs. Josephine Piyo expressed that it was regrettable that the Fulani herdsmen have turned over night and suddenly became a threat to the natives who have accepted them and lived together with them for years.

She alleged that the intention of the perpetrators of the acts was nothing other than to displace the natives from their ancestral lands for them to take illegal ownership of it.

Mrs. Piyo stated that, there was a wild allegations making round before the election that the Fulanis in Riyom and Barkin Ladi local governments have vowed that once General Muhammadu wins the Presidential election, they will be the one to dictate political pace of the two local governments.