Rabiu Omaku
The hapless people of the Odeni Magaji community of Nasarawa Local Government of Nasarawa state remain refugees in their homeland, Majority of houses was destroyed by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen who also sacked the entire busy community and its environs to debris.
Our reporter who was in the convoy of the Nasarawa state Governor can authoritatively affirm that Odeni Magaji was sacked by the people identified to be Fulani mercenaries, Abubakar Okah one of the survival from Okah family in an interview unfolded that his father, Okah was killed while the entire family compound which consist of 18 rooms were burnt down.
“What you are seeing here is the grave of my late father, Okah, We lost everything ,adding further, he said that it is never the same again as he revealed that the town was attacked on different occasions.
The successful farmer Abubakar Okah (37) said they are living in the shadows of death.
“Nobody can go to farm now because of fear of the unknown, as he said Fulani herdsmen attacks at will, As at press time some carpenters were spotted replacing new rafters of the burnt house ,He said some people due to the attack meted on the community foisted Odeni Magaji people to seek for refuge at neighboring Niger Republic while others flee to Benue or Kogi state.
When asked by Journalists, on the support from either federal or state Government, Okah asserted that the State Government donated three sheets of zinc,three piece of planks and one bag of cement to each household.
“18 rooms were destroyed and we were given three sheets of zincs,three planks and a bag of cement to do what,He asked.
Also one of the female IDP who was seeking refuge in a Pilot Science primary School Odeni Magaji expressed displeasure over the series of attack meted on Odeni Magaji and its environs,She listed some of the affected communities sacked by Fulani mercenaries to include Gidan Musa,Okpeya which she said was still under the control of Fulani herdsmen.
Madam Aisha Sani said the community has been experiencing unrest for the past five (5) years, She further said they can sleep with their two eyes close with the presence of the Mobile Police Force stationed at the primary school, Aisha further maintained that no mango fruit ,paw paw survived the mayhem ,Worship places,some clinics, schools were also destroyed .
A Butcher , Yakubu Musa said what was given to the victims of the recent skirmishes was nothing to write home about,” As you can see behind the town was River Benue and Niger,This makes the town to be a busy town,He further said people from Niger Republic and far away southern Nigeria visit Odeni Magaji Market.
“Our children no longer go to school due to the insecurity we are facing as a people, Few Fulani herdsmen were spotted in the market square when Journalists visited the most devastated part of the town.
The worst part of the devastation was the burning down of a wooden bridge that connect Olegabogye in Ekye Development Area and Odeni Magaji community of Nasarawa Local Government,The consequencies of the communal skirmishes has a direct and negative impact on the lives of people leaving in the hinterland lacking all basic amenities,Some of the consequences are the drop in the enrolment of students and pupils in schools,Famine,Outbreak of diseases,Onlookers adviced Government of the day to seek for means to unite the people by marching words with action in dealing with issues affecting the lives of the people.
Is now time community leaders, Government at all levels wake up from their slumber in ensuring that peace is maintained .
Is now time that movers and shakers in the state and Local Government level preach on the significance of peace in nation building.
Is now time for the state House of Assembly in the state to make a law directing all paramount rulers to remain in their domain as absence of monarchs in their chiefdom has adverse consequences on the lives of their subordinate who are casualties.
The promised by the State Governor to reconstruct and rehabilitate schools,clinics,courts ,bridges destroyed should be sustained, This should be beyond promises,It could be recalled that the promise by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to people of Agbashi, The headquarters of Ekye Development Area is yet to be fulfilled as the road from Agbashi to Idadu is yet to be upgraded.
Other yet to be fulfilled promise are the police station burnt down by Fulani mercenaries and Primary Healthcare built by the Millenium Development Goals, which is the only existing healthcare centre serving the people of Ugah,Tungan Daudu,Fadaman Bauna situated in Ugah community.
Is now time for the state Governor to look backward to the plight of people of the Ekposogye community by constructing boreholes for them,Other communities are Gidan Hamidu and Tudun Adubu whose Primary Health care were destroyed.
Government should mince words with actions by ensuring that group of persons that destroyed or attack palaces faces the temerity of their actions,Stringent penalty should be applied to troublemakers.
Is now the right time for the state Governor to implement the mother of all commissions of inquiry,The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Alakyo killings and other matters they are connected with,Those indicted by the commission should be dealt with accordingly.
Is now the stime the State Government should accord impetus to the disarmament of the people handling firearms, Despite the pronouncement by Governor Al-Makura to ensure the total disarmament of militia group nothing was said or done.
In spite of the numerous challenges of the state Government ,There was presence of security within the crisis areas,Our reporter can confirmed that securities are on ground from Idadu,Agbashi,Olegagboye to the crisis stricken Odeni Magaji.
See Pictures of the Mayhem below:
