In an attack that underscored a cycle of killing orgies in some states in the North-Central, suspected herdsmen again struck in several villages in Plateau State last weekend killing many people. ISAAC SHOBAYO reports the tragedy this time and the mood that currently prevails.
PLATEAU State has experienced series of crises which have claimed many lives in past the 19 years occasioned by clashes between the natives most of whom are farmers and Fulani herdsmen. From all indications, no government has been able to arrest the situation. All efforts to find solutions to the ugly trend and end the cycle of killings have been futile and in most cases overshadowed by controversies.
Since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation, security has been the major headache of every administration in Plateau State. When the Governor Simon Bako Lalong came to power, various peace initiatives were made. An agency christened “Plateau Peace Building Agency “which was first of its kind in Nigeria was also established. In spite of these efforts, killings still persist in some parts of the state.
From last year to date, Barakin-Ladi, Riyom, Bassa, Bokkos and some parts of Mangu local government areas have been under persistent attacks by the Fulani herdsmen. Reprisals by the locals have led to further attacks and continuation of the cycle of bloodletting.
The situation assumed a frightening dimension last week when gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in their large number invaded 12 villages in a commando-styled operation and went on killing spree simultaneously in the villages, murdering over 200 innocent people.
An eyewitness, Stephen Musa, who survived the attack in Gana Ropp village, said the attackers who came in their large number did not spare anybody, adding that children, pregnant women, both old and young ones were massacred, killed like animals.
“It would surprise you to know that after shooting our people, the attackers would machete them to ensure that they were dead. The attack was simultaneous in all the villages because those villages that would have mobilised to come to our rescue were also under attack. Those who ran to the bush were also traced to the place they were hiding and killed,” he narrated.
Mary Gyang, who is presently receiving treatment at Jos University Teaching Hospital, said the assailants who killed her husband did not spare her two years old child, despite her passionate plea to spare the life of the boy.
Another survivor, Asabe Pam, from Chong village said the attackers invaded the village at about 1;00 a.m, adding that they started by burning down houses to smoke residents out of their houses. “While we were trying to run for our lives, my husband and two of our children were shot dead. I was shot in the leg but was abandoned.”
It was a gory tale all through the local government. The chairman media Committee, Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation, BECO, Hon. Samuel Godongs, explained that it was a well planned and coordinated attack. According to him, the number of casualties was over 200 at the end of the deadly invasion, which started on Saturday night to the early hour of Sunday.
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“Though we have been under siege for quite some time and our people killed at random, the casualties have never been as high as this. This attack touches every family in Berom land. The attackers came on motorcycles and vehicles in their large number with assorted powerful riffles and went on killing spree until they fulfilled their mission.”
Though the local herdsmen through their state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) had disassociated itself from the attack, the chairman of the chapter, Mallam Mohammad Nura, said prior to the attack, there had been attacks on herdsmen and their cattle rustled in the local government.
The unfortunate situation attracted a wide range of condemnations and barrage of comments across the country. It has also thrown Plateau into mourning with both the low and mighty coming to the state to commiserate with the people and government over the tragic incident.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who visited the state the day after the incident for on-the-spot assessment held a marathon meeting with stakeholders which lasted till midnight. A source closed to the meeting revealed that it was a stormy session, as those at the meeting bared their minds on the renewed killings in the state.
At the meeting Osinbajo, who was sent to Plateau by President Muhammadu Buhari, had told Plateau leaders in his speech that they should be bold and tell their people the truth. “We must be bold enough to be able to tell our communities that resolving this dispute is a give and take issue. There is no zero-sum game here. So many killings, so many losses, so many deaths over time. But we must find a solution. And the solution is the type of sacrifices that leaders are prepared to make.”
Osinbajo, who expressed displeasure at the level of carnage, said the carnage must not be allowed to fester. “We must condemn killings of any kind. It doesn’t matter whether these killings are by herdsmen, villagers, or whether it is villagers who in one way or the other have killed others, including herdsmen. I think it is important that we condemn these killings, in particular these killings that have taken place, where so many people have lost their lives in the last few days. There is no reason at all for anyone who commits these offences to escape.
“We must not allow in this country a religious crisis that becomes uncontrollable, and if this sort of thing continues to happen, we will have the kind of crisis that no country in the world has ever survived. I want to urge all the leaders to show more restraint, especially in what we say.
“Nobody can survive a religious war. So I want to urge every one of us to exercise some restraint by being as civil as possible. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us, especially leadership of the communities to ensure that we are able to bring about the situation of lasting peace,” stated the VP, who promised that relief materials would be given to survivors by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) . He also announced that the N10 billion fund approved for rehabilitation of farmers of affected communities by the President Buhari would be made available to Plateau State.
Governor Lalong, who welcomed the vice-president, said he was surprised and disappointed when he heard about the Berom/Fulani incident because of the efforts both sides had made to ensure lasting peace in their communities. “If I said I’m disappointed about what happened, it’s an understatement, because they set the road-map for peace in this state,” he explained.
Less than 24hours after the visit of Osinbajo, President Buhari also arrived in the state. He also held a meeting with the stakeholders where he condemned the killings in strong term.
Since then, other eminent Nigerians have also visited Plateau to commiserate with the government, the Senate President; Senator Bukola Saraki was in the state last week and assured the people of the National Assembly’s support in addressing lingering orgy of killings in the state. A former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who also visited the state, condemned the dastardly act and called for close collaboration among the three tiers of government in resolving the matter. His visit was followed by that of governors elected on the tickets of APC who also came to commiserate with the state over the unfortunate incident.
In spite of the intervention from various quarters to arrest the situation, some of the survivors told Sunday Tribune at the camp set up to accommodate the victims of the attack in Barakin-Ladi local government headquarters, called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid by providing them with relief materials.
A cross section of Berom elders who spoke with Sunday Tribune appealed to the government and security agencies to facilitate the return of their kinsmen (and women) displaced by the herdsmen in their respective communities. It was learnt that no fewer than 56 villages were sacked and occupied by the herdsmen, just as the Fulani herdsmen are also alleging that they were equally sacked from their villages that are now occupied by the Berom.
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