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FEATURE: Under Tinubu, Plateau Killings Are Surging Everyday, By Kabir Abdulsalam
Barely two months after Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inauguration as Nigeria’s President, his government has been facing mounting criticism for what many perceive as a lack of concrete measures to quell the violence in Plateau State.
President Tinubu’s tenure so far has been marred with escalating violence in the once-peaceful region now a hotbed of bloodshed and sorrow, as clashes between armed groups continue to claim innocent lives in the state.
Reports suggested that the violence stems from long-standing tensions between different ethnic Fulani headers and predominantly Christian Berum in the area.
The surge in killings has sparked outrage nationwide and raised serious concerns about the government’s inability to address the security challenges plaguing the state.
Despite Tinubu inheriting the crisis from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari since April 17, there have been sustained attacks under his watch to date.
Apart from speculations on casualty figures on the continued unabated attacks, the writer takes a look at the numerous attacks reported since the President assumed office.
The Mwaghvul Development Association (MDA), through its National Secretary, Dr. Solomon Mangvwat, reports that a total of 54 villages have so far been attacked during this short period.
“208 were killed, hundreds missing as several bodies were burnt either in their homes while sleeping at night or in the bush as they fled and were killed in the process of escape,” he said.
It was reported that the killings started on Sunday morning of 30 April 2023, when two teenage herders were murdered in Dong Kassa village of Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
The local government also recorded the single heaviest casualty on May 16 in Kubwat and Fungzai villages, where 87 were killed in one fell swoop.
On June 11, two herders were killed in Fas community of Riyom LGA, while returning from their cattle rearing as they were shot dead by gunmen.
Hours after the incident and during a reprisal attack 21 persons, including a clergyman, were killed in their sleep, while several others were injured in a Sunday night attack in Rim, Jol, and Kwi communities of Riyom LGA and Gana-Ropp community in Barkin Ladi LGA.
On the same day, an attack was launched on Chit, a Berom community, where five members of the community were killed and 50 cattle belonging to the community were rustled.
In the wee hours on 15 June, five herders, who were returning from the Bukuru cattle market, were waylaid by gunmen around the Rawuru community.
The next day, 16 June, gunmen invaded the same community and killed eight persons.
It was also reported on Saturday 17, June that about 13 persons were killed in the Rawuru community of Barikin Ladi, between Friday and Saturday.
Also, on Tuesday night of 20 June, 20 people were killed in fresh attacks on communities in Mangu, the LGA of the new governor, and in Riyom LGA.
Two days before that tragic Tuesday, which was on the Sunday night of 18 June, gunmen stormed Kak, Ranyam, Nging, Lohala, and Buka villages at Barikin Ladi LGA, killed 20 persons and injured several others.
Additionally, at least six persons were reportedly killed on Wednesday, 21 June, 2023 when gunmen invaded Rahoss Sambak village, in Riyom Local Government Area.
Another attack occurred
on Friday, July 7, with 15 killed and 78 destroyed. On Saturday night of July 8, no fewer than 13 people; 12 men and a little boy under 6 years old, were killed in Sabon Gari village in Mangu LGA.
In a reprisal attack, gunmen attacked the Sabon Gari community of Mangu LGA, killing 12 persons and completely razing down six houses.
On the same day, around 9:00 pm, and in a reprisal attack, eight people were killed in Farin Lamba in Riyom local government area.
While on a Monday morning of July 10, two women were shot dead at Wereng Rim in the same Riyom LGA.
*Military’s Operational Intervention*
The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Maj-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja has already flagged off a new military operation in the state, code-named Operation Hakorin Damisa means (Leopard’s teeth) to quell the unfortunate herders/ farmers and restore order in the affected areas.
However, the military’s efforts have faced significant challenges due to the complexity of the conflict and the deeply entrenched nature of the hostilities.
Pundits have criticized the number of lives lost within Tinubu’s leadership despite his promise in his inaugural speech on May 29, to tackle the deterioration of insecurity, reforming Nigeria’s “security doctrine and its architecture.”
Nigerian authorities have also consistently failed to carry out independent, effective, impartial, and thorough investigations into these killings — and this is fuelling impunity.
Nigerians are expecting more from the president and his security operatives to urgently take steps to stop the bloodletting. While some believed that the brazen failure of the authorities to protect Nigeria is gradually becoming the ‘norm’ in the country.
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