by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
PLATEAU STATE: While the Plateau State Government and its Security Agencies are making efforts to restore peace in the State, following the #EndBadGovernance protests, some criminals, who don’t mean well for the state, are still spearheading with ill-conceived atrocities.
Another incident of attack was said to had occurred at about 2:00pm of Tuesday, 6th August, 2024, where a group of over 20 well-armed Fulani attacked some natives of Lwa in Bachi District, Riyom LGA, who were farming around Seheng area of the village.
As a result, four (4) persons have been reported to have sustained varying degrees of injuries, including one Mr. Caleb Bachen, 32, who had a fracture in his hand, following the attack on some villages in Riyom local government area of Plateau State.
A statement to this effect was signed and issued to our correspondent by Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, who is National President of Berom Youths Moulder-Association.
According to him, when he contacted Caleb through phone call, he narrated that, “I was at a different location from other farmers whom I heard them crying aloud for rescue from the gunfire that was all over the area. I never knew what was happening.
“On trying to run back home, some of the attackers holding arms, machetes and sticks came after me, and hacked me mercilessly in spite of repeated plea. I screamed for help, and one Fulani, by name Saddau, came and rescued me in the hands of the attackers whom I cannot figure out their number, but were more than 15,” he said, adding that “Other victims may know the actual figure,’ said the surviving victim that had a fracture.
Another victim narrated that, “We took permission from the Fulani some months ago before we went to cultivate our farms after many years of denial of access thereto. The Fulani started threatening us last week that we won’t be allowed to harvest our crops this year.
“So, while we were on our farms, I saw over 20 armed Fulani, who started shooting sporadically, chasing us away from the farmlands. Those carrying sticks beat and injured four of us, some of whom have been rushed for medical attention.”
He further said that, “Amongst the attackers is one Mumuni of late Sale of Jibro family, where most of the Fulani that attacked us are from. I know some of them facially but don’t know their names, but most of them are Fulani from late Sale of Shong 2. If Mumuni would be arrested, he would name others,” added the source.
The incident, according to other local sources, occurred, following early warning threats posed and uttered last week by the Fulani, that, the natives of Lwa should desist from farming within that generation area or face another round of armed invasion.
According to him, “Tension has risen not only in Lwa, but also neighboring villages such as Fan, Shonong, Dum, Rachid and Bangai.”
Meanwhile, when contacted for confirmation of the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, said, “We are still investigating, please.”