Following a threat of a fresh attack by terrorists on some communities in Plateau State, there are strong indications that residents of such communities in Bokkos, Barakin-Ladi, and Mangu Local Government Areas are deserting their ancestral homes for fear of being trapped.
The Sunday Tribune findings revealed that since information filtered out that the terrorists are planning to strike again in some selected communities and villages between New Year’s Eve and January 16, 2024, some of the residents have fled neighbouring communities believed to be safe.
The reports of fresh attacks are coming on the heels of recent attacks and siege of terrorists on scores of communities in the three LGAs.
In the most recent attack which occurred on Christmas Eve, over 150 persons were killed in 23 villages across Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of the state.
This is just as the House of Representatives on Saturday called on the Minister of Defense to initiate a coordinated joint security operation within Bokkos and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Nasarawa States with a view to flush out criminals and bandits and prevent them from escaping to other states.
The lawmakers also urged the Chief of Air Staff and the Chief of Army Staff to provide aerial surveillance and support to flush out criminal hideouts and camps.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on ‘Matter of urgent public importance Order 8 Rule 4(1, 2 & 3)’ sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Federal Character, Hon Idris Wase and others, after which they observed one minute of silence in honour of those killed during the massacre.
In his lead debate, Wase lamented that 12 villages in Bokkos LGA –Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso, Chiang, Tahore, Gawarba, Dares, Meyenga, Darwat and Butura Kampani– were attacked on December 24th, according to preliminary police report.
“The house further noted that similarly on 24th December, 2023 at about 2245hrs, three villages in Barkin-Ladi LGA namely; NTV, Hurum and Darawat were also attacked.
“The House is informed that findings from the assessment of the ugly incidents in Bokkos LGA revealed that the total number of villages attacked is 12,221 houses were set ablaze, 27 motorcycles were burnt, eight motor vehicles were burnt down and over 79 persons were killed, while 17 deaths were recorded in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area.
“The House is further informed that the death toll from the various attacks at Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs of Plateau State has surpassed over 200 as at December 29, 2023 with many others seriously injured according to several news sources,” he said.
The House also expressed worry that security agencies are yet to identify the perpetrators of these attacks, warning that if these dastardly attacks are left unchecked, they will escalate with time and worsen the already volatile security situation in the state and spill into other states in the North-Central zone.
The House therefore urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately conduct a detailed investigation into these attacks with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
It also urged the Department of State Services (DSS) and Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMO) to gather intelligence information on the influx, camping and operations of criminal groups within Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and other volatile local government areas and adjoining towns and share same with other sister security agencies.
In the bid to avert future occurrence, the house tasked the Chief of Army Staff to establish military presence/bases in the said local government areas and other volatile areas of Plateau State.
The lawmakers further mandated the joint House Committee on Police, Defense, Army and National Intelligence to investigate the root cause of these incessant killings with a view to providing lasting solutions.
The House also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately assess the extent of damage and displacement in attacked communities within the said local government areas with a view to providing necessary relief materials.
It also resolved to set up a delegation to visit the scenes of these killings in order to condole with families of victims and the government and people of Plateau State.
While ruling on the motion, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, mandated the joint committees on NEMA, Defense, Army, Air force, Police and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and furnish the House with a monthly report until the security situation is resolved.
Punishing those involved will lead to lasting peace — Ado Doguwa
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for a thorough investigation into the killing of scores of persons in the state.
Chairman of the Caucus, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who gave the charge via a statement made available to parliamentary correspondents, condemned the heinous crime in strong terms.
He said: “From media reportage putting the figure of the casualties in the coordinated attacks to over 150 and the outrage that have since trailed it, we join the rest of Nigerians to demand for a thorough and well intentioned fact finding on the direct and remote cause(s) of these senseless killings that have put our region in the bad light of national discuss again.
“We believe that only a thorough fact finding mission with a commitment to punishing all those that played direct or indirect roles in this massacre as well as other pockets of killings that have been taking place in the state in the last few weeks as reported in the media will lead to a lasting peace in the Plateau region, which has now become renowned for attacks and reprisal attacks especially among farming communities and the pastoralists.
“We call on governments at both state and federal level and all security agencies to ensure justice is served in this matter by bringing all the perpetrators to book and finding lasting solutions to these recurring criminalities in Plateau and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
“We also call on the governments and good spirited organisations and individuals to come to the aid of all those injured and displaced in this attack.
“In our capacity as lawmakers, we will play our parts with vigour to support institutions and individuals in their roles to ensuring lasting peace in our region.
“We must reiterate as a people that ‘never again’ will we allow these to happen in our locality and we must all vow to play our parts in ensuring the sanctity of human lives are protected.”
In related development, the Defence Headquarters has described as “misleading,” a video footage being circulated on social media depicting soldiers allegedly maltreating women under the caption: “Operation Rainbow in Plateau State.”
Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, in a statement on Saturday, described the video as misleading.
Gusau said the video in question originated from a 2021 incident in Sambisa Forest, involving spouses of Boko Haram members during the capture of their strongholds.
He said the video never emanated from Plateau State, and “not in Plateau as claimed.”Gusau said the armed forces were actively engaged in aggressive operations and dedicated to bring the perpetrators of recent dastardly acts to justice.
While speaking with the Sunday Tribune, the General Secretary, Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), Comrade Nanle Gujor, strongly condemned the recent killings in the state, expressing disappointment over the attitude of the security agencies over last week and previous attacks.
He disclosed that the identities of the attackers are known to the victims and security agencies.
While noting that the unfortunate incident continues to spread, he added that those behind the attack are emboldened because of the refusal of the government and security agencies to act on the available information.
“We have been telling both the state and the federal governments to be serious about their responsibility of providing security to the citizenry. Those who came out to defend themselves in the recent attacks were arrested by the security agencies, leaving the culprits to go scot-free. Right now, some of the youth who came out to defend themselves are in custody.
“We are totally disappointed in the attitude of the security. That is why we are agitating for the state police. The security agencies know the terrorist enclaves and communities the bandits have taken over, yet nothing is done about it. Mahanga is an excellent example; our people have been displaced from their ancestral lands. But knowing where they are and doing nothing about it creates a lot of doubt.
He pointed out that no fewer than 102 communities have been taken by the terrorists, adding that many more are still being sacked without any positive action by the security agencies to chase the terrorists away.
Apparently disturbed by the hardship that victims of the recent attacks are passing through, the Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Nationalities Community Development Associations (CONAECDA) has planned humanitarian support for the victims.
Secretary General of the association, Dr Suleman Sukukum, said the support becomes necessary in view of the hardship the victims are passing through, adding that their homes have been burned while the majority of them are languishing in internally displaced people’s camps.
According to a statement jointly signed by Sukukum and the association’s president, Samuel Achie, CONAECDA pointed out that the level of carnage and the number of lives being lost in Nigeria are due to the lack of local policing in the majority of the rural communities.
“There are no police or any security presence in the vast majority of Nigerian villages. No one is in place to serve as a first line of defence against attackers, and no one is to be held responsible if villagers from one community move to attack another,” the statement read.
In another development, a Plateau State-based human rights organisation, Para-Mallam Peace Foundation (PMPF) has lamented that the international communities kept mum while crimes against humanity are being committed in the country.
In its response to the attack on some Plateau villages, the organisation warned that Nigeria would not exist without the Middle Belt because of its importance in the country.
President/CEO of PMPF, Reverend Gideon Para-Mallam, in a statement issued after visiting the victims of the attacks, said eight churches have been burnt down while the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the incident is now 5,000.
He also alleged that the attack on Bokkos LG appeared to be motivated by genocidal intent, land grabbing and occupation by conquest.
The statement read in part: “Sometimes in 2019, during an attack in Waren village in Barkin Ladi LGA by Armed herdsmen, they had threatened that a time would come when Christians would not be allowed to celebrate Christmas. They suggested that Christians will be running with their Christmas meat in their hands and will enjoy no peace in eating such meat.
“What is wrong with our nation? Why have we ended up with leaders who overlook blatant criminality and engender a system that discourages freedom of religion and belief? Why does the international community remain silent while crimes against humanity are committed with reckless abandon in Nigeria? ”
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