Saraki Paid People Of Plateau State a Condolence Visit
Nigeria senate president, senator Bukola Saraki was in Plateau state today to commiserate with the people of the state over the death about 300 people over the immediate past weekend.
At the middle is Senate president of Nigeria, Bukola Saraki
He wrote in his twitter handle, "I was in Plateau state today to commiserate with the state government and the people over this weekend's killings. I told governor Lalong that the loss of lives affects the entire nation and we will do all that we can to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice"
We can recall that on saturday last week there was a massive killings in different communities in Plateau state where many people lost their lives and others injured.
The incident was detailed by Nigerian Vanguard thus:
"No fewer than 120 persons were weekend killed in several villages in Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State in fresh attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, while over 200 others sustained gunshot injuries.
People Died In The Plateau Incident
However, Commander of the Special Military Task Force, Major General Anthony Atolagbe, last night confirmed that 56 persons were killed.
Major-General Atolagbe, who spoke from the bush where he was directing operations to apprehend the perpetrators, also said three of the killers had been arrested, adding that they confessed to participating in the killing.
A house burnt at Gashish, one of the villages attacked. Photos by Marie-Therese Nanlong.
“The suspected killers have been giving useful information about others involved in the killings and their hideouts. We are going all out for them. Also, troops have been deployed to ensure normalcy is restored,” he said.
This came as 13 persons also lost their lives in an inter-communal conflict between two communities in Cross River and Ebonyi states.
The scale of destruction in Plateau, which also led to burning of houses, compelled the state government to declare a dawn-to-dusk curfew in the affected local government areas to stave off further killings.
Plateau On Fire
But Plateau State Police Command said at press time last night it had counted 86 bodies, asserting that it could not ascertain the actual number of casualties since some families took away bodies of their loved ones without notification.
Vanguard gathered that heavily armed gunmen invaded the affected villages, including Exland, Gindin Akwati, Ruku, Nghar, Kura Falls and Kakuruk, all in Gashish district as well as Rakok, Kok and Razat villages in Ropp district of the local government area, shooting sporadically, killing people, injuring others and setting structures ablaze.
The latest attacks sparked off protests by the youths who barricaded roads along Mangu Halle in Mangu Local Government Area, protesting incessant killings in the area.
An eye-witness, Masara Kim, who narrowly escaped being killed in an ambush while returning from a funeral service near Kura Falls, explained: “The attack occurred a few metres away from a military checkpoint in Kafi Abu village. The attackers opened fire on the convoy of sympathizers and bullets hit a vehicle which I was travelling in, injuring one person.
“At least four other travellers were critically wounded in different other vehicles. In one vehicle, the driver and another woman were shot in their legs. Another driver carrying over five passengers was shot in the arm, resulting in the car crashing.
“All on board fled into the bushes amid heavy gunfire. The attackers by their looks, were herdsmen.”
The pastor in charge of Church of Christ In Nations, COCIN, Regional Church Council, RCC, Rop in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Pam Chollom, said majority of those killed in the attack that lasted several hours were mourners.
He said: “Herdsmen attacked our members who attended the burial of the father to one of our clergy, Baba Jakawa, at Gidin Akwati, Gashis district. Late Jakawa was aged over 80 years, a committed member of COCIN, so his burial attracted many sympathisers.
“The armed men ambushed the sympathisers on their way back from the burial, attacked and killed 34 persons from Nekan village, 39 others from Kufang, and 47 people from Ruku village. As we speak with you, many others are still missing in the bushes.
“The sad incident started at about 1:00 p.m., and lasted still about 8:00 p.m. yesterday (Saturday).
“We informed members of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis. They went to one of the villages, but the attackers had committed the havoc and left.”
Spokesman of Operation Safe Haven, Major Adam Umar, said soldiers were immediately deployed to the affected villages, following sporadic gunshots which drew the military’s attention.
He said: “There was an incident yesterday (Saturday) in Barkin Ladi, some attackers stormed the general area and started shooting sporadically.
“The sound of the gunshots attracted our personnel, they immediately mobilized towards the area the gunshots were coming from. On reaching there, they came under heavy fire. The incident is still ongoing though under control.
“There are casualties because there were gunshots and fire-fight between our personnel and the attackers but for now, the number is not ascertained.”
It was learned yesterday that many people were still trapped in the bushes, as sporadic shooting continued yesterday.
Those evacuated were said to have been taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, for treatment.
Acting Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mr. Haruna Manzo, who confirmed this to Vanguard yesterday, said: “On Saturday, five people were brought with gunshots wounds, one was treated and discharged and four are on admission.
“On Sunday, 21 new casualties were brought and the total we received was 26, we don’t have any dead body here.”
However, Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau State command, ASP Mathias Tyopev, gave some figures, saying “we have recovered 11 corpses so far and deposited in a hospital.
“We can only account for 11 from Exland, Kura Falls, Gindin Akwati and some other villages. We are not working on speculations but on numbers we have but if somebody died and the relatives did not report to the Police, there is no way we can know. We have deployed enough personnel in Gashish district as we speak.”
Gov Lalong slams curfew
The attacks forced the state governor, Simon Lalong, to immediately return home from Abuja where he participated in the national convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which held at the weekend.
The governor, who condemned the attack, directed security chiefs to checkmate the assailants and appealed for calm, saying “government has fashioned out a lasting solution to the present challenge.”
Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South LGs affected
The state government immediately imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South local government areas, saying the move was to avert a breakdown of law and order.
The government in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Rufus Bature, said: “Movement is restricted from 6pm to 6am, except for those on essential duties.”
Also reacting to the attacks, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yakubu Dati, has said the government was deeply pained that “despite concerted efforts which had led to the restoration of relative peace across the state, some unpatriotic elements are bent on disrupting the gains so far made.”
The statement condemned the attacks, assuring that government had mobilised the “full compliments of security forces that are restoring normalcy in the affected areas and the environs.”
PDP
Reacting to the development, Plateau State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, described the incident as “genocide” and called on the international community to come to the aid of the state.
In a statement issued in Jos and signed by the Publicity Secretary, John Akans, PDP said: “We received with rude shock the level of genocide going on now in Gashish District, Razat, Ruku Nyarr and Gana-Ropp, all in Barkin Ladi Local Government.
“We also note with great pains the dastardly attacks ongoing in many other local government areas in the state by the militias.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the level of continuous genocide of Plateau people. At the moment, Barkin Ladi is under siege with over 130 people feared to have been killed. As at time of this statement, the (SOM) CAPRO School of missions Gana-Ropp is under heavy attack by the militias.
“This unholy act of systematic genocide and the destruction of the cultural heritage of Plateau people must stop.
“We call on the international community to come to the aid of Plateau people as, besides the over 130 people killed, many are missing.”
CAN reacts
Also reacting, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Yakubu Pam, condemned the wanton killings of innocent villagers in restive communities of Barkin Ladi , Bassa and parts of Riyom local government areas in Plateau state.
Rev Pam in a statement issued in Jos yesterday, lamented that while the people of the state have started forgetting the memories of the past, the recent resurgence of attacks and killings of villagers in the restive communities of the affected three local government councils of the state should be condemned by all peace loving citizens of the state.
Pam, who commended the Plateau State government for the relative peace it has restored to the state in the last three years, challenged the government and security agencies in the state to bring the on going madness in the affected communities to an end as quickly as possible.
The Northern CAN leader alleged that crisis merchant who do not want the state to be at peace were at it again to plunge Plateau communities into another round of violence.
He urged security agencies to go after those that were hell bent on destroying the peace of the state.
Plateau CAN
In its reaction, the state chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in a message from its Chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang, said: “The continued genocide going on now in Gashish District, Razat, Ruku Nyarr, Gana-Ropp, Shalong, Gwararza etc in Barkin Ladi Local Government and other communities in Riyom and Bokkos are very disheartening to say the least.
“The killings are becoming no longer herders and farmers again but deliberate attempt to conquer and occupy the land of the peoples’ ancestral heritage. CAN also notes with great pains the dastardly attacks ongoing in many other local government areas in the state by the herdsmen militias.
“CAN condemns in the strongest terms the continuous genocide of Plateau people. Barkin Ladi is under siege with more than 200 innocent precious human lives killed and countless driven out in the rains and left without shelter.
“CAN is also saddened by the news of attack on CAPRO School of Missions (SOM) in Gana-Ropp by the militias. CAN had yesterday made a statement concerning the incident at Mangu Halle as very unfortunate; commends the youth in Mangu and environs as well as youth in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, for their peaceful action that guaranteed peace or else things would have been worst. Commend some security agencies, religious and elders for efforts to calm the situation.
“The soil of Plateau smells with rotten dead bodies as a result of silent killings and besides, many people are missing. CAN mourns with the families and churches who lose their loved ones prematurely and untimely and calls on the government, the security at all levels to please rise and do the needful by discharging their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and properties of its citizens.”
At press time yesterday, tension had started mounting at Anguldi, Zawan and Bukuru areas of Jos South Local Government Area of the state but no one was certain about the cause as residents were apprehensive and calling for security to ensure no life or property was lost.
Ebonyi
Meanwhile, about 13 persons were reportedly killed and two villages razed, also at the weekend, in the raging inter-communal conflict between the people of Ukele in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State and their Izzi neighbours of Ebonyi State.
The conflict, which is caused by struggle for farmland along their common border, has been a recurring issue, particularly during yam and rice planting seasons and many lives have been lost to the conflict since 2003 when it first occurred.
The recent conflict started on Monday when a woman was reportedly shot in her farm and on Wednesday when some youths in Ipuolo village returning from a meeting were reportedly waylaid by their Izzi counterparts, leaving many of them with gunshot wounds.
Last Friday’s killings and burning of houses, according to Mr Vincent Egbe, the Community Relations Officer to Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade, started when some Izzi assailants invaded the venue of a peace meeting convened by the Divisional Police Officer for the Area and his Ebonyi State counterpart to find a peaceful resolution to the matter.
“We were already in the meeting venue waiting for the arrival of the DPOs from Yala and Izzi Local Government Areas when some youths invaded the venue of the meeting and shot into the crowd and wounded many people,” Egbe said.
He said Ukele youths mobilised and managed to repel the attackers and it was in the ensuing battle that the village of Nkaleke and Nduabonyi were razed and many people lost their lives.
“They are the aggressors and all our people have been trying to do is to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, yet they keep launching attacks on us,” he said.
Mr Hafiz Inua, the Cross River State Police Commissioner, could not be reached on phone but the Police Public Relations Officer for the state police Command, Ms Irene Ugbo, said the Commissioner travelled to the area to restore calm.
According to her, the poor network is the reason it was not possible to reach the commissioner on phone.
In a telephone chat with the Divisional Police Officer of Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State, Ikechukwu Ogonna Nwenyi, who said he was not disposed to talk as he was in a battle zone, explained that no side could accurately said the number of those affected by the inter-communal conflict.
According to him, commuters are free to ply the road now “as we have opened up the road for access to everyone.”
On the claim by Cross River that 13 persons were killed by Izzi assailants, the DPO further stressed that there was no real figure of causalities on both side.
“The real figure is not ascertained; the figures of the causalities are not yet known; the road is now free to passersby and commuters. People are now free to go about their businesses,’’ the DPO said."
The likely cause of the Plateau killings as reported by Premiumtimes
PREMIUMTIME captioned it "The untold killings that may have triggered Plateau massacre" Date: June 25, 2018
The Report:
"Two days before the Saturday massacre of mainly Christian mourners in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, four Fulani cattle traders were murdered in the same area.
The Saturday killings led to the death of at least 86 people, according to the police, with a resident saying 120 people were killed.
Pam Chollom, a pastor of the Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) in the area, blamed the attack on armed herdsmen. He said most of the 120 victims were returning from the burial of a community leader.
Two days after the Saturday killings, which have been condemned by Nigerians including President Muhammadu Buhari, a leader of Fulani herdsmen said he believed the killing was a reprisal attack.
He suggested the killings were in retaliation for the killing of hundreds of cows allegedly by ethnic Berom youth.
“These attacks are retaliatory,” Danladi Ciroma, the chairman of the north central chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said on Monday.
“As much as I don’t support the killing of human being, the truth must be told that those who carried out the attacks must be on revenge mission.
“Fulani herdsmen have lost about 300 cows in the last few weeks – 94 cows were rustled by armed Berom youths in Fan village, another 36 cows were killed by Berom youths. In addition to that, 174 cattle were rustled,” he added.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier on Friday obtained details of one those attacks which also led to the death of four cattle traders.
The Thursday Killing
On Thursday evening, four traders, of ethnic Fulani stock, returning from a cattle market, were allegedly ambushed and killed, in what appears to be part of the bloody cycle of attacks and retaliatory attacks in Plateau State.
A day later, the Cattle Breeders Association, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area chapter, accused the Berom speaking natives of the town of being behind the attack which occurred along Hiapang, Barkin Ladi road.
The scribe of the association, Abubakar Gambo, also accused the attackers of whisking away the corpses of the victims.
“The unfortunate incident occurred between 6.30 to 6.40pm, Thursday at Hiapan. The Berom people ambushed and killed four of our people, burnt the car they were in. The people were returning from a cattle market from Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area. They took away their corpses,” Mr Gambo said.
The scribe told PREMIUM TIMES that his association had reported the matter to security agencies.
“The victims are all married with children. They are: Bala Adamu, Isa Mohammed, Ibrahim Ahmed and Lawal Abubakar Dangana. We informed security operatives, members of the Special Task Force on Jos crisis came to the scene. They got there while the fire on the cars was still burning,” he said.
He also lamented the increasing spate of attacks.
“This is the third time such attacks on our people by Berom people are occurring. We want a stop to this dastardly acts on our people,” he said.
When PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the police last Friday, the police said the incident was an abduction, and “not yet murder”.
Nigeria mobile police officers
He wrote in his twitter handle, "I was in Plateau state today to commiserate with the state government and the people over this weekend's killings. I told governor Lalong that the loss of lives affects the entire nation and we will do all that we can to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice"
We can recall that on saturday last week there was a massive killings in different communities in Plateau state where many people lost their lives and others injured.
The incident was detailed by Nigerian Vanguard thus:
"No fewer than 120 persons were weekend killed in several villages in Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State in fresh attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, while over 200 others sustained gunshot injuries.
However, Commander of the Special Military Task Force, Major General Anthony Atolagbe, last night confirmed that 56 persons were killed.
Major-General Atolagbe, who spoke from the bush where he was directing operations to apprehend the perpetrators, also said three of the killers had been arrested, adding that they confessed to participating in the killing.
“The suspected killers have been giving useful information about others involved in the killings and their hideouts. We are going all out for them. Also, troops have been deployed to ensure normalcy is restored,” he said.
This came as 13 persons also lost their lives in an inter-communal conflict between two communities in Cross River and Ebonyi states.
The scale of destruction in Plateau, which also led to burning of houses, compelled the state government to declare a dawn-to-dusk curfew in the affected local government areas to stave off further killings.
But Plateau State Police Command said at press time last night it had counted 86 bodies, asserting that it could not ascertain the actual number of casualties since some families took away bodies of their loved ones without notification.
Vanguard gathered that heavily armed gunmen invaded the affected villages, including Exland, Gindin Akwati, Ruku, Nghar, Kura Falls and Kakuruk, all in Gashish district as well as Rakok, Kok and Razat villages in Ropp district of the local government area, shooting sporadically, killing people, injuring others and setting structures ablaze.
The latest attacks sparked off protests by the youths who barricaded roads along Mangu Halle in Mangu Local Government Area, protesting incessant killings in the area.
An eye-witness, Masara Kim, who narrowly escaped being killed in an ambush while returning from a funeral service near Kura Falls, explained: “The attack occurred a few metres away from a military checkpoint in Kafi Abu village. The attackers opened fire on the convoy of sympathizers and bullets hit a vehicle which I was travelling in, injuring one person.
“At least four other travellers were critically wounded in different other vehicles. In one vehicle, the driver and another woman were shot in their legs. Another driver carrying over five passengers was shot in the arm, resulting in the car crashing.
“All on board fled into the bushes amid heavy gunfire. The attackers by their looks, were herdsmen.”
The pastor in charge of Church of Christ In Nations, COCIN, Regional Church Council, RCC, Rop in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Pam Chollom, said majority of those killed in the attack that lasted several hours were mourners.
He said: “Herdsmen attacked our members who attended the burial of the father to one of our clergy, Baba Jakawa, at Gidin Akwati, Gashis district. Late Jakawa was aged over 80 years, a committed member of COCIN, so his burial attracted many sympathisers.
“The armed men ambushed the sympathisers on their way back from the burial, attacked and killed 34 persons from Nekan village, 39 others from Kufang, and 47 people from Ruku village. As we speak with you, many others are still missing in the bushes.
“The sad incident started at about 1:00 p.m., and lasted still about 8:00 p.m. yesterday (Saturday).
“We informed members of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis. They went to one of the villages, but the attackers had committed the havoc and left.”
Spokesman of Operation Safe Haven, Major Adam Umar, said soldiers were immediately deployed to the affected villages, following sporadic gunshots which drew the military’s attention.
He said: “There was an incident yesterday (Saturday) in Barkin Ladi, some attackers stormed the general area and started shooting sporadically.
“The sound of the gunshots attracted our personnel, they immediately mobilized towards the area the gunshots were coming from. On reaching there, they came under heavy fire. The incident is still ongoing though under control.
“There are casualties because there were gunshots and fire-fight between our personnel and the attackers but for now, the number is not ascertained.”
It was learned yesterday that many people were still trapped in the bushes, as sporadic shooting continued yesterday.
Those evacuated were said to have been taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, for treatment.
Acting Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mr. Haruna Manzo, who confirmed this to Vanguard yesterday, said: “On Saturday, five people were brought with gunshots wounds, one was treated and discharged and four are on admission.
“On Sunday, 21 new casualties were brought and the total we received was 26, we don’t have any dead body here.”
However, Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau State command, ASP Mathias Tyopev, gave some figures, saying “we have recovered 11 corpses so far and deposited in a hospital.
“We can only account for 11 from Exland, Kura Falls, Gindin Akwati and some other villages. We are not working on speculations but on numbers we have but if somebody died and the relatives did not report to the Police, there is no way we can know. We have deployed enough personnel in Gashish district as we speak.”
Gov Lalong slams curfew
The attacks forced the state governor, Simon Lalong, to immediately return home from Abuja where he participated in the national convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which held at the weekend.
The governor, who condemned the attack, directed security chiefs to checkmate the assailants and appealed for calm, saying “government has fashioned out a lasting solution to the present challenge.”
Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South LGs affected
The state government immediately imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South local government areas, saying the move was to avert a breakdown of law and order.
The government in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Rufus Bature, said: “Movement is restricted from 6pm to 6am, except for those on essential duties.”
Also reacting to the attacks, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yakubu Dati, has said the government was deeply pained that “despite concerted efforts which had led to the restoration of relative peace across the state, some unpatriotic elements are bent on disrupting the gains so far made.”
The statement condemned the attacks, assuring that government had mobilised the “full compliments of security forces that are restoring normalcy in the affected areas and the environs.”
PDP
Reacting to the development, Plateau State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, described the incident as “genocide” and called on the international community to come to the aid of the state.
In a statement issued in Jos and signed by the Publicity Secretary, John Akans, PDP said: “We received with rude shock the level of genocide going on now in Gashish District, Razat, Ruku Nyarr and Gana-Ropp, all in Barkin Ladi Local Government.
“We also note with great pains the dastardly attacks ongoing in many other local government areas in the state by the militias.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the level of continuous genocide of Plateau people. At the moment, Barkin Ladi is under siege with over 130 people feared to have been killed. As at time of this statement, the (SOM) CAPRO School of missions Gana-Ropp is under heavy attack by the militias.
“This unholy act of systematic genocide and the destruction of the cultural heritage of Plateau people must stop.
“We call on the international community to come to the aid of Plateau people as, besides the over 130 people killed, many are missing.”
CAN reacts
Also reacting, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Yakubu Pam, condemned the wanton killings of innocent villagers in restive communities of Barkin Ladi , Bassa and parts of Riyom local government areas in Plateau state.
Rev Pam in a statement issued in Jos yesterday, lamented that while the people of the state have started forgetting the memories of the past, the recent resurgence of attacks and killings of villagers in the restive communities of the affected three local government councils of the state should be condemned by all peace loving citizens of the state.
Pam, who commended the Plateau State government for the relative peace it has restored to the state in the last three years, challenged the government and security agencies in the state to bring the on going madness in the affected communities to an end as quickly as possible.
The Northern CAN leader alleged that crisis merchant who do not want the state to be at peace were at it again to plunge Plateau communities into another round of violence.
He urged security agencies to go after those that were hell bent on destroying the peace of the state.
Plateau CAN
In its reaction, the state chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in a message from its Chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang, said: “The continued genocide going on now in Gashish District, Razat, Ruku Nyarr, Gana-Ropp, Shalong, Gwararza etc in Barkin Ladi Local Government and other communities in Riyom and Bokkos are very disheartening to say the least.
“The killings are becoming no longer herders and farmers again but deliberate attempt to conquer and occupy the land of the peoples’ ancestral heritage. CAN also notes with great pains the dastardly attacks ongoing in many other local government areas in the state by the herdsmen militias.
“CAN condemns in the strongest terms the continuous genocide of Plateau people. Barkin Ladi is under siege with more than 200 innocent precious human lives killed and countless driven out in the rains and left without shelter.
“CAN is also saddened by the news of attack on CAPRO School of Missions (SOM) in Gana-Ropp by the militias. CAN had yesterday made a statement concerning the incident at Mangu Halle as very unfortunate; commends the youth in Mangu and environs as well as youth in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, for their peaceful action that guaranteed peace or else things would have been worst. Commend some security agencies, religious and elders for efforts to calm the situation.
“The soil of Plateau smells with rotten dead bodies as a result of silent killings and besides, many people are missing. CAN mourns with the families and churches who lose their loved ones prematurely and untimely and calls on the government, the security at all levels to please rise and do the needful by discharging their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and properties of its citizens.”
At press time yesterday, tension had started mounting at Anguldi, Zawan and Bukuru areas of Jos South Local Government Area of the state but no one was certain about the cause as residents were apprehensive and calling for security to ensure no life or property was lost.
Ebonyi
Meanwhile, about 13 persons were reportedly killed and two villages razed, also at the weekend, in the raging inter-communal conflict between the people of Ukele in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State and their Izzi neighbours of Ebonyi State.
The conflict, which is caused by struggle for farmland along their common border, has been a recurring issue, particularly during yam and rice planting seasons and many lives have been lost to the conflict since 2003 when it first occurred.
The recent conflict started on Monday when a woman was reportedly shot in her farm and on Wednesday when some youths in Ipuolo village returning from a meeting were reportedly waylaid by their Izzi counterparts, leaving many of them with gunshot wounds.
Last Friday’s killings and burning of houses, according to Mr Vincent Egbe, the Community Relations Officer to Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade, started when some Izzi assailants invaded the venue of a peace meeting convened by the Divisional Police Officer for the Area and his Ebonyi State counterpart to find a peaceful resolution to the matter.
“We were already in the meeting venue waiting for the arrival of the DPOs from Yala and Izzi Local Government Areas when some youths invaded the venue of the meeting and shot into the crowd and wounded many people,” Egbe said.
He said Ukele youths mobilised and managed to repel the attackers and it was in the ensuing battle that the village of Nkaleke and Nduabonyi were razed and many people lost their lives.
“They are the aggressors and all our people have been trying to do is to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, yet they keep launching attacks on us,” he said.
Mr Hafiz Inua, the Cross River State Police Commissioner, could not be reached on phone but the Police Public Relations Officer for the state police Command, Ms Irene Ugbo, said the Commissioner travelled to the area to restore calm.
According to her, the poor network is the reason it was not possible to reach the commissioner on phone.
In a telephone chat with the Divisional Police Officer of Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State, Ikechukwu Ogonna Nwenyi, who said he was not disposed to talk as he was in a battle zone, explained that no side could accurately said the number of those affected by the inter-communal conflict.
According to him, commuters are free to ply the road now “as we have opened up the road for access to everyone.”
On the claim by Cross River that 13 persons were killed by Izzi assailants, the DPO further stressed that there was no real figure of causalities on both side.
“The real figure is not ascertained; the figures of the causalities are not yet known; the road is now free to passersby and commuters. People are now free to go about their businesses,’’ the DPO said."
The likely cause of the Plateau killings as reported by Premiumtimes
PREMIUMTIME captioned it "The untold killings that may have triggered Plateau massacre" Date: June 25, 2018
The Report:
"Two days before the Saturday massacre of mainly Christian mourners in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, four Fulani cattle traders were murdered in the same area.
The Saturday killings led to the death of at least 86 people, according to the police, with a resident saying 120 people were killed.
Pam Chollom, a pastor of the Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) in the area, blamed the attack on armed herdsmen. He said most of the 120 victims were returning from the burial of a community leader.
Two days after the Saturday killings, which have been condemned by Nigerians including President Muhammadu Buhari, a leader of Fulani herdsmen said he believed the killing was a reprisal attack.
He suggested the killings were in retaliation for the killing of hundreds of cows allegedly by ethnic Berom youth.
“These attacks are retaliatory,” Danladi Ciroma, the chairman of the north central chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said on Monday.
“As much as I don’t support the killing of human being, the truth must be told that those who carried out the attacks must be on revenge mission.
“Fulani herdsmen have lost about 300 cows in the last few weeks – 94 cows were rustled by armed Berom youths in Fan village, another 36 cows were killed by Berom youths. In addition to that, 174 cattle were rustled,” he added.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier on Friday obtained details of one those attacks which also led to the death of four cattle traders.
The Thursday Killing
On Thursday evening, four traders, of ethnic Fulani stock, returning from a cattle market, were allegedly ambushed and killed, in what appears to be part of the bloody cycle of attacks and retaliatory attacks in Plateau State.
A day later, the Cattle Breeders Association, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area chapter, accused the Berom speaking natives of the town of being behind the attack which occurred along Hiapang, Barkin Ladi road.
The scribe of the association, Abubakar Gambo, also accused the attackers of whisking away the corpses of the victims.
“The unfortunate incident occurred between 6.30 to 6.40pm, Thursday at Hiapan. The Berom people ambushed and killed four of our people, burnt the car they were in. The people were returning from a cattle market from Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area. They took away their corpses,” Mr Gambo said.
The scribe told PREMIUM TIMES that his association had reported the matter to security agencies.
“The victims are all married with children. They are: Bala Adamu, Isa Mohammed, Ibrahim Ahmed and Lawal Abubakar Dangana. We informed security operatives, members of the Special Task Force on Jos crisis came to the scene. They got there while the fire on the cars was still burning,” he said.
He also lamented the increasing spate of attacks.
“This is the third time such attacks on our people by Berom people are occurring. We want a stop to this dastardly acts on our people,” he said.
When PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the police last Friday, the police said the incident was an abduction, and “not yet murder”.
Nigeria mobile police officers
The police also said they could not yet ascertain the number of casualties in the attack.
“At the moment, we (police) cannot say that the said persons have been killed. It is still a case of kidnapping. Investigations into the incident has commenced, we shall unravel those behind the act,” the Plateau police spokesperson, Terna Tyopev, said on Friday.
Reacting to the allegations, the national president, Berom Youth Moulders Association, Dalyop Choji, confirmed the attack but said the Beroms were not responsible for it.
“The situation that led to the whisking away of the said Fulani people was a ‘chaos’ at Hiapang. I can authoritatively tell you that those who kidnapped the Fulanis are not Berom. Those who witnessed the scene said a Vectra car was on the trail of the vehicle conveying the Fulanis, only God knows from where?” the Berom leader told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday.
“Occupants of the said car opened fire on the car the Fulanis were in, forced them into their Vectra car, set the car ablaze and drove away, shooting sporadically in the air. The process created commotion, residents of Hiapang ran for safety. How could that be Berom people.
“We (Berom people) have been battling with attacks. I am sad to report to you that between last weekend and yesterday (Thursday) we have lost 16 people to gunmen,” he explained.
Yet To Be Identified Attackers
Mr Choji’s explanation reflects a deeper problem beyond the ethnic colouration many Nigerians give to repeated violence in Plateau and neighbouring states.
It perhaps points more to criminality by armed gangs unleashing terror on citizens at will, in the face of a seemingly incompetent government. The killings, however, eventually take ethnic turns and lead to retaliatory attacks.
Thousands of people have been killed this year alone in violence mainly between marauding herdsmen and their host communities. In most cases, the attackers are never apprehended.
In the case of the Fulani four on Thursday, their attackers are yet to be identified or arrested.
Also, the killers of the scores of mourners on Saturday are yet to be arrested; and may not be if recent history is to be considered.
The Saturday killings led to retaliatory attacks in other parts of Plateau, leading the government to impose a dusk to dawn curfew in three local governments.
Obi Ezekwesili
Obi Ezekwesili On A Protest Match
The state government and President Buhari have condoled with the victims and called for calm.
But for many Nigerians, the Plateau killings, alongside similar ones in Benue and other parts of the country, show a failing government.
“Boom!! Out of the blues, Citizens are KILLED in their NUMBERS. 200??? How?? In a Nigerian-State with State Security & Intelligence, Policing & Military? WE CANNOT KEEP SILENT ON THIS. Governments exist to SECURE CITIZENS. WE ALL must hold OUR Leader .@MBuhari to ACCOUNT,” a former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, wrote on her Twitter page."
“At the moment, we (police) cannot say that the said persons have been killed. It is still a case of kidnapping. Investigations into the incident has commenced, we shall unravel those behind the act,” the Plateau police spokesperson, Terna Tyopev, said on Friday.
Reacting to the allegations, the national president, Berom Youth Moulders Association, Dalyop Choji, confirmed the attack but said the Beroms were not responsible for it.
“The situation that led to the whisking away of the said Fulani people was a ‘chaos’ at Hiapang. I can authoritatively tell you that those who kidnapped the Fulanis are not Berom. Those who witnessed the scene said a Vectra car was on the trail of the vehicle conveying the Fulanis, only God knows from where?” the Berom leader told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday.
“Occupants of the said car opened fire on the car the Fulanis were in, forced them into their Vectra car, set the car ablaze and drove away, shooting sporadically in the air. The process created commotion, residents of Hiapang ran for safety. How could that be Berom people.
“We (Berom people) have been battling with attacks. I am sad to report to you that between last weekend and yesterday (Thursday) we have lost 16 people to gunmen,” he explained.
Yet To Be Identified Attackers
Mr Choji’s explanation reflects a deeper problem beyond the ethnic colouration many Nigerians give to repeated violence in Plateau and neighbouring states.
It perhaps points more to criminality by armed gangs unleashing terror on citizens at will, in the face of a seemingly incompetent government. The killings, however, eventually take ethnic turns and lead to retaliatory attacks.
Thousands of people have been killed this year alone in violence mainly between marauding herdsmen and their host communities. In most cases, the attackers are never apprehended.
In the case of the Fulani four on Thursday, their attackers are yet to be identified or arrested.
Also, the killers of the scores of mourners on Saturday are yet to be arrested; and may not be if recent history is to be considered.
The Saturday killings led to retaliatory attacks in other parts of Plateau, leading the government to impose a dusk to dawn curfew in three local governments.
Obi Ezekwesili
The state government and President Buhari have condoled with the victims and called for calm.
But for many Nigerians, the Plateau killings, alongside similar ones in Benue and other parts of the country, show a failing government.
“Boom!! Out of the blues, Citizens are KILLED in their NUMBERS. 200??? How?? In a Nigerian-State with State Security & Intelligence, Policing & Military? WE CANNOT KEEP SILENT ON THIS. Governments exist to SECURE CITIZENS. WE ALL must hold OUR Leader .@MBuhari to ACCOUNT,” a former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, wrote on her Twitter page."
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