By Christiana Ekpa
Solomon Maren, member of the House of Representatives, representing Mangu/Bokkos constituency of Plateau state has called on the federal and state government to rise to its primary responsibility of security to save his constituents from being killed and “slaughtered like chickens on a daily basis.”, even as he called on international communities to intervene on their behalf.
Maren also urged the federal government to mandate the inspector general of police, chief of army staff and other relevant security agencies to mobilise more security agents to the troubled areas, investigate the root causes with a view to bringing the culprits to book, restore normalcy and to forestall future occurrence.
He equally called on the international community, well meaning, spirited individuals, philanthropists and non -governmental organisations to come their aid and rescue his people, their land and heritage which was in danger, this is ethnic cleansing.
The lawmaker who made these calls while addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday asked the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately send relief materials to the victims of the unfortunate attacks.
“I 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 14th 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 November, 2022, a group of militia suspected to be herders, fully armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunitions launched an attack 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.
“Just yesterday, the 16th of November, 2022 another gruesome attack was meted on some villages namely; Folloh and Mai Jankai all 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 four persons were killed in Kulias, three others in Makale all of Butura on the 24th October 2022 and 8th November 2022 respectively by the same militia,” Maren alleged.
He also alleged 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, saying most farmers had little or no harvest due to the wicked action of unscrupulous 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; Seector 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, “the lawmaker said.
He expressed expressed worry that what happening in his constituency was “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.
“We need help from every quarters. The people are helpless and without defense, help us! Help us!! We urgently need help, please help us now!!!”
