The Plateau killings

IN the last one month, many people have lost their lives in the fresh round of killings in Plateau State. The serial attacks and carnage in Bassa Local Government Area of the state are most disturbing because the state, famous for its tranquility and serene climate, appears to have relapsed into another season of carnage at a period when most residents and visitors alike heaved a sigh of relief after 15 years of unprecedented ethno-religious upheavals in the state.

At least 29 persons, mostly women and children, were killed in the latest attack in Nkiedonwhro village of Irigwe chiefdom in Bassa, despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in the area by the state government.  Curiously, the victims were taking refuge in a classroom in a public primary school in the village when what is generally perceived as a reprisal on the local people occurred. Operation Safe Haven, the military security outfit saddled with keeping the peace in the area, has been accused of complicity in the attacks.

The state chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Mallam Mohammed Nura, while condemning the “wicked and barbaric” attacks, however absolved Fulani herdsmen of any involvement in the gruesome killings. According to him, the crisis of confidence between Irigwe and other ethnic groups and communities in the area dated back to June 23, 2005 and had to do with land matters. Conversely, the national president of the Irigwe Development Association, Sunday Abdu, who claimed that the Fulani herdsmen considered themselves untouchable, said they were responsible for the arson and carnage in the area. He also questioned the role of the military outfit deployed in the area, alleging that the victims were deceived into coming out and taking refuge in a classroom, only for them to come under a hail of bullets in the hands of suspected herdsmen.

But the military has since denied complicity in the attacks,   stating that the real story was that its men were overwhelmed by the numerical strength and tactics of the attackers. Spokesman of the security outfit, Captain Umar Adams, explained that even though his men engaged in an exchange of fire with the attackers, “because it was dark and they were many in number, our men didn’t know that there were others who came from another direction.” This alibi is indeed pathetic. It is strange that the military was not prepared to do its job. Whatever direction the enemy came from, it should have engaged them decisively and not abandoned the people who took refuge under its wings to die in droves.

Many concerned individuals and groups have condemned the latest carnage and arson in Plateau State, with personalities like the Adamawa State governor, Mohammadu Bindow, offering to broker peace between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers to end the senseless killings and arson. However, the latest incident is most bizarre because it took place during a curfew. It is curious that the military, motivated for combat operations in an emergency case like the Bassa incident, could fret before the hoodlums that wreaked havoc in Bassa. Who else can the people look up for security and respite in such circumstances? The prevalent insecurity in the country necessitated military operations like Crocodile Smile and Python Dance in parts of the country. Then there is the poser over the reliability and efficacy of the intelligence gathering mechanisms of the security agencies, as reports indicated a premeditated attack on Bassa.

We believe that there are more questions begging for answers regarding the Plateau killings. The Federal Government should institute a high-powered investigative panel to unravel all the riddles. Such a panel should comprise men of proven integrity, who should be able to rise above primordial factors in carrying out a thorough and diligent investigation into the sustained bloodbath in the area, and establish the veracity of claims of complicity by security agencies. It should also recommend appropriate sanctions to whoever is found culpable in the horror visited on the innocent residents of Irigwe. In short, what happened in Bassa constitutes a heinous crime against humanity and the perpetrators deserve the full wrath of the law.

Meanwhile, as the state police ommand and other security operatives step up surveillance in the area, it is imperative for both the federal and state authorities to adopt a more coordinated security mechanism that can arrest the current frightening and gradual descent of Plateau into the abyss. The season of anomie and fear in the area must end. Major pragmatic steps should be taken to arrest waning public confidence in security agencies, a point the Minister of Sports, Solomon Lalung, who is a major stakeholder in Plateau, put the point more poignantly: “The confidence level of Nigerians in the ability of the police to protect them, especially in Plateau State, is at an all-time low.” Every effort must be made to reverse the trend.