Killing Of 3 Persons In Dong, Plateau, Speaker Azi Laments Constant Attacks, Rev Oparaji Calls On FG To Declare Fulani Killer Herdsmen Terrorist
Yakubu Busari
Following the incessant killings in Dong district of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State at least three persons have been killed in the early hours of Friday by men suspected to be Fulani herders that invaded the settlement.
The Plateau State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon Peter Ajang Azi has condemned the constant attacks which suspected herders are coming to launch on his ancestral home Dong.
In his interview he granted, Azi emphasized that as was just returning from journey this incident of fresh killings of three young men struck him as a thing of concern.
He explained that the death of innocent youth remains a serious concern to the entire Dong community were this suspected killings gang masquerade in with dangerous weapons to kill, maiming future leaders who are the vanguard of tomorrow.
Rt., Hon Azi lamented that over 3,000 people have been displaced as a result of herders coming to launched attack on citizens the area.
He commended the security swinging into action to deploy their personnel to all the look and cranny of the community.
The Management Committee Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council, Hon Philip Izam Arin commended the security for their quick response to distress calls to save the situation.
He said, as a council the mobilized support in collaboration with the state government to establish security outpost which is lacking from Dong district of Jos north.
Arin condemned the killings as one of the unfortunate incidents but disclose the security efforts receive a boost for ensuring that people properties are not destroyed.
Eyewitnesses who escape the dastardly mayhem that very night Mr. Agwom Musa said, those Fulani’s came to the area and ambush them in Dong village near Jos Wild Life Park
Musa says as members of the vigilante group, stationed to guard all the entry point of the village himself and Yakubu Ando, Abari Ando and Jaffta were about eating food when we had gunshots on air close to the place they are standing before they move to see the Fulani’s instantly open fire on us killing 3.
The survivor of the community onslaught told our medium that three deceased persons were taken unaware while keeping watch during a youths’ meeting in the village.
According to him, those assailants that invaded them might have received information from someone amongst the villagers may have hinted the assailants that security at the entry point was weak as a result of the meeting which most vigilante men on duty attended.
However Dong district of Jos North was renew ambushed killing continue the form vigilante to move around (7:30 pm), they dispersed themselves, as usual, to keep vigil over their community.
The hills around Mai Farin Mota, a suburb of Dong community the Fulani herdsmen had laid ambush waiting for their arrival, was said to be taken over with the aide Soldiers who failed to protect them.
Information available to this medium, reveals that with porous security situations they decided to share their members to various locations on the hill, where the Fulani herdsmen came and opened fire on them killing three and wounding so many as the shooting lasted throughout the night to the second day.
The unarmed youths ran and took cover with calls seeking for help which did not come in time, the attacking gunmen overpowered security operatives drafted to dislodge them during the attack.
Dong Women urged that federal government should remove soldiers who lead Fulani’s to come and killed them, in related voices they complaint that military armored vehicle is sighted frequenting the Fulani settlements around Rafiki near Dong village which the locals suspect might them supplying the herders with military hardware which the allegations have could be verified.
Meanwhile, Rev. Father Anthony Oparaji said what is happening in Dong right now is an attack on faith so Christian should rise up to see that war had been declare by some session of the country.
He this is purely a jihadist agenda to take over our land because those 3 boys that were murder are all members of St Agustin parish here in Dong and they very close to me .
I am calling on the federal government to declare Fulani’s herdsmen as terrorist organization because of the impunity going as the country is now divided along religious worship.
Rev .Father Oparaji appealed for calm as security agencies are not ready to protect their lives and properties leaving them vulnerable to kill under the situation like this.
He called His Excellency, Rt. Hon Barr Simon Bako Lalong to lift the Dust till Dawn curfew imposed on Dong to enable the men and youths of the community to guard them with support from STF and police as the curfew imposed did not stop the herdsmen from attacking the community.
He also called on the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba that as a father to all the traditional rulers on the Plateau to speak, and the Fulani’s leaders to be ordered to the sanctity of lives.
