No Fewer Than 30 Persons Killed In Plateau In Renewed Attacks-PYC Chairman

Yakubu Busari

At least no fewer than 30 people have been reported killed in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections in Plateau villages by some men suspected to be Fulani herders/ marauders coming  from the neighboring Congo,Chad ,Niger ,Mali and Senegal causing upheaval to the natives of North-Central Nigeria .

The joint Plateau  leaderships of the Plateau State youth council, coalition of Plateau State indigenous youths and YOWICAN, condemned the dastardly act of the  renewed killings by   Fulani’s militant wrecking havoc to create panic and tension to stop them from farming as the raining set in .

The Chairman Plateau State Youth Council ,Lot Sunday Adas made known to newsmen in Jos at the NUJ ,Plateau State Council blaming the attacks on poor security networks as the following added their voice ,Comradec DEKETE JOSHUA PAUL and Chairman, Coalition of Plateau State Indigenous Youths ,PHARMACIST MARKUS KANDA,Chairman, YOWICAN, Plateau State

He revealed that It has come to the notice of the above mentioned coalition that Fulani militias have resumed and are also planning coordinated attacks and killings in Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South and Bassa LGAs of Plateau State.

 According to him ,”these attacks are orchestrated largely to disrupt farming activities, economic livelihoods, displace population and grab lands in these communities .

“From April 15th, 2023 to date, the following villages and Hamlets  have come under  attacks, our people killed, properties worth millions of Naira destroyed while others have been displaced from their ancestral homes,he stated .

 He disclosed that the Records demonstrated that ,

MANGU LGA;*

a. Murish, Mai-tumbi and Jwak villages were attacked on the 15th and 16th of April, 2023, and 4 people were killed.

b. A mining site in Mangor was attacked and five people were killed on the 12th April, 2023.

2; BARKIN-LAD LGA

a. NTV village, 2 people were ambushed and killed on the 17th April 2023.

b. Rawuru, 1 person was ambushed and killed on the  22nd April, 2023.

c: In Tapo of Heipang, 4 people were killed on April 23rd, 2023.

d. In Heipang-Kwi road (Chit), two people were ambushed and killed on the 27th April, 2023.

3; RIYOM LGA

a. In Wereng, it was a case of massive willful destruction of farmlands on the 22nd of April, 2023.

b. Kuru Station of Wereng, 2 people were killed on the 23rd April, 2023.

c: In Rim- Bachi road, 3 people were ambushed and 2 fatally injured on the 23rd April, 2023.

d. In Jol, it was a case of willful destruction of farmlands on a massive scale and one person was ambushed, robbed of his motorcycle and abducted on the 24th and 25th April, 2023 respectively.

e. In Wereng Camp-Darwat road, 2 two clergies were ambushed and 1 fatally injured on the 24th April, 2023.

f. In Gako-Rim, one person was killed on the 26th April, 2023.

4; JOS SOUTH

a. In Turu (Farin Lamba), 6 people were killed and 1 injured on the 25th April, 2023.

5; BOKKOS LGA

a. In Marish, 3 people were attacked and killed.

The afforementioned attacks are in addition to the many attacks that have taken place in several villages in Bokkos, Riyom and Bassa LGAs.

Lot explained that the above incidences are sufficient evidence that the Fulani militias have resumed their onslaughts on the innocent people of Plateau state just like it has been happening in parts of Southern Kaduna and Benue state. In our view,  these attacks should never be mistaken for isolated incidents or better still, the so-called farmer-herder clashes. Rather, they are strategies of war and terrorism aimed at disrupting farming activities,  displacing the people and grabbing their lands.

Unfortunately for the victims in all these villages and Hamlets of Plateau State, the response of security agencies, particularly the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) has always come too late and too little to save their lives and situation despite the early warning signals sent to them by members of our coalition.

 He said , these people have lost their lives, their dreams and aspirations in life cut short while their responsibilities over their children and wives have to be shouldered by surviving family members whether young or aged. To us, this was entirely avoidable and therefore, highly condemnable.

Adas cautioned  what has been witnessed in the theatre of the prevailing guerilla attacks and the keen observation of our coalition members, it is very obvious that the victims are not in doubt as to who their killers are. Indeed, they are of the fulani’s stock and therefore, we cannot subscribe to the misleading charade of unknown gunmen. In addition, the spade, timing and precision of operations couple with the feeble response the plight of victims received is highly suggestive of collusion.

He stressed that the truth is that, the lives and circumstances of the victims of these killings and attacks are treated as of second-class value in Nigeria and this is totally unacceptable, unconstitutional and repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.