201 Killed in Plateau in 5 Months

Not less than 201 people have been reported killed within five months in 27 attacks in seven local government areas in Plateau State, Daily Trust reports.

The killings occurred between January 19 and June 20.

The local governments are Riyom, Bokkos, Jos South, Jos East, Barkin Ladi, Bassa and Mangu. The figure is based on data sourced from reported killings in the state, therefore, the casualty figure may be higher.

Residents and pundits have expressed worry over the recent killings in the state, recalling similar incidents first recorded in 2001 which dragged on for over a decade and claimed hundreds of lives and property worth billions of naira.

They noted that while insecurity climaxed during the administrations of former Governors Joshua Dariye and Jonah Jang, there was a reprieve from 2015 when Simon Bako Lalong took over until around the twilight of his administration when the dark old days of killings resurfaced.

Those who spoke to Daily Trust called on both the federal and Plateau State governments to act fast and save lives.

Latest killings

Daily Trust reports that 20 people were killed in fresh attacks on communities in Mangu, the LGA of the new governor and in Riyom LGA on Tuesday night.

The spokesperson for the state Police Command, DSP Alabo Alfred, did not respond to the inquiry on the incident by our correspondent. However, the spokesperson of the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba Barrack, Jos, Ishaku Sabastine Takwa, confirmed the incident.

He said, "It was a diversionary attack because the information we got earlier was that the criminals were going to attack Tashek and Wereng to rustle cows (in Riyom). Six lives were lost in Riyom and four in Mangu."

But the member representing Mangu South Constituency in the state assembly, Bala Fwangje, said 14 people were killed when gunmen attacked Chisu and Bwai communities of Mangu around 11pm.

"We heard that about 14 people were killed, houses destroyed and properties burnt. I am yet to get the full details of the incident."

Also confirming the attack in Riyom, the Publicity Secretary of Berom Youth Movement (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, told Daily Trust that six persons were killed in the Sambak community.

"All the six victims were vigilantes who were on patrol in their community due to the recent security challenges in Riyom. The corpses of the vigilantes were recovered by the personnel of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) who have been there to maintain peace in the area," Tengwong said.

The latest killings came a day after the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 4, Musa Haladu, visited the state to inspect the security situation and to condole with the government over the loss of lives in the crisis areas.

Daily Trust had reported how gunmen Sunday night killed 20 persons and injured several others in the villages of Barikin Ladi LGA.

Two persons had earlier been killed Sunday evening in Mangu as confirmed by the police authorities in the state. Not less than 13 persons had earlier been killed in the Rawuru community of Barikin Ladi between Friday and Saturday.

Endless tit-for-tat

Baba Ali, a resident of Mangu said he was distraught by recent killings in parts of the state.

"For now, the three senatorial zones in the state are no longer safe. I have a feeling that the authorities are not looking at the implication of this.

"Years back, you had skirmishes in the northern and southern part of the state, but, sadly, the central part is also affected now; in fact it is the theatre of killings and this has wider implications," he said.

Situation in affected areas

According to data compiled by Daily Trust, Mangu has recorded the highest casualty with 109 people killed in six separate attacks. The figure includes the 14 people killed Tuesday night. The local government also recorded the single heaviest casualty on May 16 in the Kubwat and Fungzai villages where 87 were killed in one fell swoop.

Riyom LG has witnessed the highest number of incidents with 11 attacks recorded and 47 persons killed, including the six killed on Tuesday. The local government also recorded the joint second single highest casualty figure with 20 people killed on June 11 in attacks on Rim, Jol and Kwi communities.

It shares the worst case with Barkin Ladi where 20 people were killed in the Sunday attack and 35 were killed overall.

The record revealed that five persons have been killed in Bokkos with two killed each in Jos South and Bassa LGAs. Jos East witnessed one killing recorded on January 19 in Shere District.

External forces behind killings - Gov

Reacting to the spate of killings in the state yesterday, Governor Caleb Mutfwang promised to find a lasting solution to the problem, calling on the people to remain calm. The governor who briefed journalists yesterday at the Government House appealed to the security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

He said, "I didn't come to Plateau to be burying corpses. We are looking for lasting solutions. I, therefore, use this opportunity again to appeal to the people of Plateau State to remain calm and that all hands are on deck to be able to deal with the problem and arrest this ugly situation. By the grace of God, Plateau will remain peaceful."

The governor stated that the attacks in recent times were certainly not carried out by people living in the state.

"And the question became...who called them into Plateau? Who sponsored them into Plateau? Who gave them direction into Plateau? We appeal to security agencies to fish out and arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act because we can't continue to fight unknown gunmen while they are physically seen. We, therefore, want to appeal to the police led by the police to intensify their intelligence network to fish out these merchants of crisis so that we actually make them face the full wrath of the law."

The governor had in an earlier statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, called for more deployment of personnel to the communities under attack to prevent further destruction of lives and property.

He called on citizens irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliations to join hands with the government in finding lasting solutions to the attacks.

NGO blames herders/farmers' rivalry

Salisu Muhammad, the Chief Executive Officer of Displaced Women and Children Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, blamed the quest for economic supremacy between pastoralists and farmers for the recurring attacks in the state.

He said, "The triggers of the crisis are many. Here we are talking about people afraid of their economic lives being taken away from them. There is this fear of land grabbing, which has heightened ethnic intolerance.

"So, today, we have ethnic intolerance. It is difficult to nip this crisis in the bud because age and revenge have made it impossible. The dangerous aspect now is we have what we called the debt of death."

Salisu, however, suggested that for there to be peace between the worrying parties, there must be a peace building process where kinetic and non-kinetic approaches must be implored. He said, "The armed forces should find a way of integrating the civil populace and CSOs to work towards entrenching the peace building and to erase this revenge and retaliation to deepen ethnic tolerance."

On his part, Bukar Ali, a herder, said the government solving the problems in Plateau and other places would be easy if there is the political will.

"The question we should ask is why did Plateau witness peace during Lalong more than any other time in the last two decades?

"He called a spade a spade. I think peace would be restored when people from across the divide are treated with justice. There are grazing sites and routes, they should be restored. If herders encroached into farmlands, they should be made to pay double what they destroyed. But they should also be compensated when their cattle are rustled. Nigeria is for all of us," he said.

Military meets stakeholders

Daily Trust reports that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army (NA) and Commander Operations, SAFE HAVEN (OPSH), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim on Tuesday held a meeting with stakeholders from Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs.

Speaking at the meeting, the OPSH commander advocated strict legislation that would keep the people in check for good behaviour.

Ibrahim further cautioned against making unguided statements about security agents.

The stakeholders identified deep misconceptions as the root cause of the crises and called for frequent dialogue between the people and security agencies in order to proffer lasting solutions to the lingering conflict.

They also urged security agencies to be diplomatic in engaging with the people and deal decisively with those fomenting trouble in society. They pledged to continually cooperate with security forces.

The event was attended by traditional rulers, youth leaders and women leaders, as well as religious leaders from Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas.

This article originally appeared on Daily Trust.

Image via Guardian Nigeria.