by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The attention of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association (BYM) and the Forum of Bokkos Development Association together with the Mwagavwul Youths Movement has been drawn to a press conference credited to the Coalition of Fulani Groups in Plateau State in which a wide range of claims and allegations were made against the people of Barkin Ladi Bokkos and Mangu LGAs as well as the Government of Plateau State.
In the said Press-briefing, the Coalition of Fulanis in Plateau State had claimed that 115 Fulani villages were burnt down, while properties worth billions of naira, including food items destroyed, which it said it’s on record that since 29th of August, 2023, to 24th of December, 2023, a total of 834 cattle were rustled in Kawel, Rom and Sat in Bokkos, and their accomplices from Mangu Local Government Area.
The Fulanis also claimed that it had lost no fewer than 350 members, between October 2023 and January 2024 in the state, and 834 cows within the said period in various communities of Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu local government areas of the state.
However, in their reaction, Barr Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, who led by President of Berom Youths Moulder-Association, observed that, “Ordinarily, the Manager Press Release would have passed without a single comment from us, except that the unsuspecting public and, indeed, the International Community would have been misled into believing that the barbaric and dastardly massacre of Christmas-Eve meted out on the people of Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs are justified on the spurious grounds adduced by the so-called ‘Coalition.’”
According to him, “This has become necessary because, the concocted, illogical and fictitious Press conference issued on the 7th day of January was just an attempt to cover, confuse, misdirect and downplay the heinous crimes committed by their bandits and, therefore, there was no sincere place for their pretentious condolences, which actually amount to a hidden sense of mockery and hypocrisy as they spoke from both sides of the mouth.
“By the misleading account of the so-called Coalition, how can this be true that a total number of 8 Districts have suddenly risen against the Fulani or their purported number of cattle herds without any reason?”
While calling on the Fulani to be honest enough to tell the world why this could even be the case, Barr Mwantiri queried thus: “Could it be that the terrorist activities and banditry that has come to be associated with the majority of the Fulani is, indeed, their push-factor?”
The President further noted that, “To the best of our knowledge, Fulani herders have been hosted by our communities for decades, but have now, in our view, counted themselves unworthy of the hospitality and accommodation of the native peoples, who are largely sedentary peasant farmers.
“From a wide range of experiences and parallels in other States and Regions of Nigeria, Fulani militants unleash terror on weak and harmless villages, annexed their lands and denied them access in those territories.
“In Plateau, there are over 102 Hamlets and villages that have been completely sacked and are being occupied by the Fulani. In addition, a peace loving and very kind Paramount Ruler of Bokkos Local Government Area, HRH Da Lazarus Agai, was gruesomely killed in cold-blood on his farm, while a District Head and Village Head were both killed in similar circumstances,” he stated.
“Sadly, today, over 200 of their subjects have also been massacred by the same bandits and terrorist elements whom the ‘Fulani Coalition’ is advocating for their protection, and also be allowed to continue terrorizing the entire place.
“It’s a notorious fact that Fulani militants have been launching attacks and raiding Hamlets and Villages, committing all sorts of human rights abuses with the hope of displacing the natives, grabbing their lands and taking over the economic activities of those areas.”
While expressing disappointment from the Fulanis, saying, “Because it is very ironical for the victims of Fulani aggression and agenda to be portrayed as the aggressors in their own traditional homesteads and farmlands? This is, of course, a ‘PERFECT’ work of their cheap propaganda, which is now common knowledge all over Nigeria.
He observed that, “It is mind-blowing and, indeed, mischievous to brandish statistics with little or no substantiation or evidence. It should, however, be understood that the aim of their Press conference was to fuel their propaganda machine, and to probably diffuse attention from the victims of their terror in Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs.”
According to him, “Knowing the killer Fulani herdsmen for who they are, who will imagine that over 350 Fulani are killed, and thousands of their cattle rustled with over 115 in one day all rustled or killed, and unbelievably wait until January 7th for a so-called Coalition to make a Press Release on their behalf?
“Who on earth will ever believe this? Is this not a diversionary tactics from the alarming Christmas-Eve killings and plunder that claimed 257 aside the over 100 injured, talk less of over 19,000 displaced and valuables worth millions of Naira destroyed?” he stated.
He said, “It’s undisputed that the Fulani lack customary rights and authority over lands and territories in all our villages and communities, except those acquired through purchase, gifts and goodwill.
“Fulani militants have chosen terror as a means of conquest land acquisitions in this 21st Century, where constitutionalism, civilization and civility are the hallmark of modern society.
“Further, we are abundantly aware that, Governments at all levels have been concerned and making deliberate efforts to bring relief and succor to victims of terror attacks and not to support aggressors, militants and bandits or their collaborators.
“Therefore, the ploy of the so-called ‘Coalition’ trying to paint or even out humanitarian situation is, indeed, misleading and very shameless. To make things worse, the fictitious and propagandist statistics make the whole claims and allegations laughable and ridiculous,” he explained
He stressed that, “For the avoidance of doubt, here is what is established, and can be verified by all and sundry about the Christmas-Eve massacre that occurred in 39 villages of Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs: Barkin Ladi: 19 people killed, 6 injured, 2851 displaced aside homes and other valuables destroyed in 3 villages. Attack on Bokkos: 187 killed, over 100 injured, over 15,231 displaced from 31 villages raided. Mangu: 52 killed, over 1,900 displaced from 4 villages completely overrun.
He prayed for government to halt Fulani militants from raiding community hamlets and villages, killing people and displacing them as well as disrupting their livelihoods.
He also urged government to go after the terrorists, and their sponsors and networks within and outside Nigeria should be busted, while the perpetrators and local accomplices be brought to justice.
“The will of the Nigerian State and Government is, indeed, on trial as to whether these terrorists would go on unchecked or that security agents will rise to the occasion to guarantee the safety of lives and property of citizens in this country.
“We call on our people to remain very vigilant and ready to defend themselves, if they have to, under the circumstances we have found ourselves.”