By Gift Chapi-Odekina
A member of the House of Representatives Rep. Solomon Maren has called on the federal government to mandate the inspector general of police, chief of army staff and other relevant security agencies to mobilize more security agents to investigate the root causes of recent killings and destruction of properties by suspected herders in his constituency.
The lawmaker who represent the people of Mangu/Bokkos federal Constituency in Plateau state called on the international community, well-meaning spirited individuals, philanthropist and non-governmental organizations to come to the aid and rescue of people in this region.
He said “am deeply pained and grieved by the recent spate of wanton killings and destruction of properties by suspected herders (Fulani militia) in Mangu/Bokkos federal Constituency, this ugly and barbaric killing of innocent, peace loving and law abiding citizens is unfortunate, condemnable, censure and of grave concern.
“I reprobate such dastard, wicked and ungodly act in its entirety We want the world to know that, on the 14” day of November 2022 an innocent and law abiding citizen in Gold village of Butura land was attacked, maimed and killed while returning from the farm for just no reason.
“Also,that on the 15 Nov. 2022, a group of militia suspected to be herders, fully armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunitions launched an attacked on maikatako village also in Butura ward of Bokkos Local Government Area where they killed and burnt to ashes more than 11 people, injured many and destroyed properties worth millions of naira as well as left hundreds of people homeless and displaced.
“Furthermore; just yesterday, the 16h of November, 2022 another gruesome attack was meted on some villages namely; folloh and mai Jankaiall in Butura ward where many other people lost their lives,houses and properties worth millions of naira were equally burnt down by the attackers.
“You may Recall; that 4 persons were killed in Kulias,three others in makale all of butura on the 24t October2022 and 8 November 2022 respectively by the same militia, ” He added.
The lawmaker further speaking said that over 300,000 hectares of crop farmlands have been destroyed by the herders due to deliberate and reckless grazing without caution and or fear of any body adding that most farmers had little or no harvest due to the action of the herders.
“We are Disturbed; that these attacks are just too many, just within a month; we have buried more than 30 abled men and women including children.
Unfortunately despite the presence of operation safe haven; sector 5, the attackers appeared more armed than the security agents could either counter, repel or scare them.
“We are Concern; that the miscreants do have a field day perpetrating evil for hours without any form of provocation and or confrontation by the security, worst still, hitherto, no single arrest and no any deliberate effort has been made to bring these hoodlums to book.
“We are worried that, this is a systematic, well coordinated and pre-planned attack aimed at total ethnic cleansing and annihilation of indigenous inhabitants towards a slow land grabbing agenda.
“We are particularly Worried;that with the kind of a syndicate the militia have exhibited and the precision with which they get to their target, if nothing is urgently done to curb these ugly occurrences the situation may escalate beyond imagination and the entire locality and even the state may be thrown into confusion, chaos and total pandemonium.
He also urged the Federal Government to mandate the federal ministry of Humanitarian affairs, disaster management and Social Development as well as National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately send relief materials to the victims of the unfortunate attack to help provide a new lease of life and restore hope to the people.
