Youths in Plateau State on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and save the state from the ongoing massacre being perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen.
The pressure group under the aegis of Plateau Youth G-17 Peace and Progressive Forum, in an open letter to the President, said over 100 people had been killed, dozens injured, houses razed and property looted in Miango in the Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
The convener of PY G-17 PPF, Dachung Bagos, in the petition, urged the President to do anything that could stop the ongoing bloodshed.
He said, “As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces doubling as the Chief Security Officer of the nation, we call on you to intervene and give the needed attention to the genocide ongoing in Plateau State.
“There has been breach of security and outbreak of violence in Bassa, Jos North, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos LGAs where people are constantly attacked, harassed, killed, raped, their villages sacked and taken over by the attackers.
“Last year, a respected paramount ruler and the Saf Ron Kulere, Da Lazarus Agai, was killed in his hometown in Bokkos Local Government. There has been a series of attacks in which many people including three traditional rulers were killed.
“In Bassa Local Government, Miango in the Irigwe Chiefdom to be précise, over 100 people have so far been killed in cold blood, dozens seriously injured, houses razed and property of the people looted. This led to the imposition of dusk-to-dawn curfew by the Plateau State Government with the hope that the decision will address the violent situation in the affected community but the killings are still going on.
“Ta’agbe village in Miango was attacked in which six people were killed in the night of Saturday, October 14, 2017 while 29 persons were killed and many injured in Nkiedonwhro, Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa LGA of Plateau State. Even as we are writing this, attacks are ongoing in some villages.
“In Barkin Ladi, three persons including a former Head of Service to the Plateau State Government, a woman and a military man were killed last week in Wereh village, Ropp District of Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State. People are constantly being harassed and attacked by gunmen despite the presence of military personnel in the villages. If the attackers can kill a military personnel, how safe are the innocent and harmless people?”
The youths said in Riyom Local Government Area, villages such as Jol, Rim, Hoss, Shonong, Sharabutu were under siege and the people could no longer go about their economic, social and religious activities again.
They, therefore, appealed to the President to do all within his powers to stop the killings.
Meanwhile, a socio-political organisation, Rigwe Development Association, on Tuesday gave a graphic detail of how the killing of 29 indigenes of Nkiedonwhro community by suspected Fulani herdsmen was allegedly planned by soldiers.
The National President of RDA, Sunday Abdu, in an interview with us, alleged that the killing was planned by soldiers who signalled the Fulani boys hiding in the bush to carry out the killing of victims in the classroom.
He said, “The soldiers masterminded the killing; that was what happened. The people were at home when they heard gunshots. Some of them were assured by the soldiers of their safety. Then, one of the soldiers told the Ward Head that they should come that they would be given protection. And he obliged, believing that the soldiers would protect them.
“ They were gathered in the classroom of the primary school. One of them refused to enter the classroom but insisted on staying with the soldiers. The person was seeing everything that was happening.
“One of those boys saw some people in the bush giving signs with their hands to the soldiers. It was between 6.30 and 7pm, he saw the hands as if it was calling some people. The boy told the soldiers, ‘See, there is somebody in the bush giving signals with his hands and he is a Fulani person.’ Immediately, there was a gunshot and then the soldiers advised them to come into the classroom and promised to lay ambush behind the classroom and wait for the Fulani boys. Then, one of the soldiers signalled the Fulani boys in the bush to come. That was how the execution was carried out.”
But the Special Military Special Task Force codenamed Operation Safe Haven, deployed to restore law and order in Plateau State, had promised to investigate the alleged involvement of soldiers on duty in the attack.
The Commander of OPSH, Maj. Gen. Anthony Atolagbe, said, “Soldiers have been sent to the headquarters of the OPSH for proper investigation on how the attack took place in the village under their watch, especially when curfew was imposed on the village and there was supposed to be restriction on movement.”
Reacting to the killings, the Christian Association of Nigeria called on the government and security agencies to “keep a closer and diligent watchful eye on Riyom, Barakin Ladi, Bassa and indeed Bokkos LGAs.”
The Plateau State chairman of CAN, Soja Bewarang, said this in his speech delivered during the unity service and prayer of its Central Zone with the theme, “Church unity and challenges of leadership,” held at the headquarters of Church of Christ in Nations and given to journalists on Tuesday in Jos.
While advising the Federal Government to hasten action on the attacks on communities by the suspected Fulani herdsmen, he commiserated with the government, the people of Plateau State and families of those killed by Fulani herdsmen.
Also reacting to the killings, the Peoples Democratic Party, called on the state government and security agencies to be alive to their responsibility and adopt a more proactive stance to prevent the killings.
A statement issued on Tuesday evening by the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Plateau State, John Akans, expressed disappointment that the killings continued in some parts of Bassa LG despite the imposition of the dusk-to-dawn curfew in the area.
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