Over 200 persons have
been reportedly killed and over 50 houses razed down in renewed attacks in 11
villages in three local government areas of Plateau State ,
namely: Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South, attributed to armed herdsmen bandits,
who have been terrorising the Middle Belt region since 2001. This time around,
heavily armed gunmen had invaded the affected villages of Exland, Gindin
Akwati, Ruku, Nghar, Kura
Falls and Kakuruk; in the
Gashish district as well as Rakok, Kok and Razat villages in Ropp district of
the local government area.
Eye witnesses to the killings claimed that
security agents failed to intervene despite the high level of presence, as a
result of the recurring communal violence. The source further noted that the
crux of continuous unending bloodbath in the state was the unresolved crisis,
saying the latest fighting was a result of the sale of cattle by herdsmen.
After selling the cow, some locals attacked the herdsmen, killed them and took
away the money alongside the cow. The unknown story in this is: If any of the herders survive a massacre, he passes the message to his family and children to retaliate. This continuous circle of anger usually leads to retaliation on the part of the herdsmen, who always take revenge for the loss of their dead family members and cows.
He added that the way herdsmen massacres were
carried out was simultaneous and if they are going to attack a village, they
would divide themselves into groups and start the attack at the same time. If
they would start at midnight, they would start once, exactly 12 a .m., making the killings
massive and there is no way to escape. So, if you are running out of this
village or place, you are running into another place. Most residents could not
sleep as most communities stayed up watch with the help of the age grade and
youth forums. The youths continued to keep watch as they closely inspected
their border to prevent attack. He added that security agents were culpable in
the on-going attacks, alleging that they want the crisis to last because they
are being paid for as long as the crisis continues and do not take any
proactive measures to stop the killings.
Other flashpoints in the killings include the Southern Kaduna as well as
Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue states. In quick
response to the dire situation, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State had
imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the affected local government areas even
though the bandits shift from one theatre to the other, almost at will and with
little resistance from security forces, a disheartening trend that led a former
Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister, Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd),
to call on Nigerians to rise and defend themselves for the perceived poor
response of security personnel to the impasse.
In 2015, when the incumbent Governor Lalong
took over as chief executive, the state seemed to enjoy some peace and
stability because of the disposition of the governor to embracing peace and
open-door policy that promotes regular communication with all and sundry. The
conflicts between farmers and herders always occur either because herders’
cattle ate farmers’ crops or herders blame local communities for cattle
rustling or killing of their people that often leads to reprisal attacks and
counter-reprisal attacks. As a way forward, all those who had a hand in the
criminality should be made to face the music. The recent upsurge in violence
must be nipped in the bud before it gets out of control by apprehending the
perpetrators.
It is commendable that the Senate President,
Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara recently
met with President Muhammadu Buhari over the massacre. The meeting was said to
be at the instance of the President of the Senate. It is only hoped that both
the executive and legislature would really work together by fashioning out a
better model that would help in nipping the brutality into the bud.
Beyond that, the Nigerian state should swift
into action by protecting lives and property, which remain the primary purpose
of government by virtue of our constitution. There is the need to review the
continued relevance of heads of our security agencies that appear to be
helpless and incapable of solving the problem. Recently, the Inspector-General
of Police refused to stay in Makurdi, Benue State ,
as directed by President Buhari while the Minister of Defence had directed
states to suspend the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Laws, a call that is
capable of fueling the crisis.
There is no need playing politics with the
lives of innocent people, there should be an overhaul of the entire security
apparatus, to bring efficiency to. Rivalry among security agencies should stop
and they should collaborate better, especially in the area of intelligence
sharing. Security personnel should not be made to stay in a particular location
for too long so that they would not be compromised. The urgency for why state
policing should be operational becomes clearer by the day. The president, being
the chief security officer of the country should show, and be seen to show more
commitment to ending the killings, not only in Plateau but in other parts of
the country. The bulk ends on his table. That is why he has to act more
decisive in curbing the senseless massacres in Plateau and other parts of the
country.
*Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of
Agriculture, Abeokuta
(FUNAAB).
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