The renewal of aggression by armed men on Plateau villages is widening as 3 children and 7 adults of Irigwe ethnic extraction have been reportedly killed, 3 sustained fatal injuries and more than 114 houses razed down in Tegbe of Miango District of Bassa LGA, Plateau State by armed men suspected to be Fulani militias who, in their hundred, stormed the village from 12:30am to 2:00am. List of the people were killed are:-
- Tabitha Danlami, 8 year old girl.
- Sibi Danlami, 4 year old girl.
- Yoh Bala, 5 year old girl.
- Gara Kuh, aged 80.
- Mr. Mweri Chogo 85 years.
- Mr.Friday Musa 45 years.
- Mr. Daniel Mada 45 years.
- Mrs. Tala Gara, 58 years
- Mrs. Wuye Gara 67 years.
- Mrs. Rikwe, 65 years.
According to information gathered from an eyewitness who pleads anonymity, “while we were keeping watch based on early warning message received and disseminated to the appropriate authorities that Ancha and Tegbe villages would be attacked. Lo and behold at about 12:30am of 26th November, 2021, we heard heavy shootings all over Tegbe,” he said, but no intervention despite repeated calls.
According to another local source, “the attackers were in their hundreds as they enchanting allaahh hu’akubar and fufulde, and burning our houses, plunging us into unplanned despondency.. if not that we scampered for our dear lives, the whole inhabitants would have been sent to early graves like the 10 people killed,” said the source.
It’s further gathered that the security atmosphere of the area increasingly remains tense as a result of the continued threats and fear of another invasion.
In another related development in Bangai village of Bachi District in Riyom LGA, a group of more than 10 Fulani herdsmen attacked some natives on the latters’ farm at about 9:00am of today, 26th November, 2021. As a result, Mr. John Mwagwong(65 year old man) and Danlami Dadon (37) were injured while the others escaped. Meanwhile, personnel of Divisional Police Headquarters of Riyom LGA have swung into preliminary investigation as the injured victims have been rushed to the hospital.
When contacted, Mr. John responds that, “we piled up our harvested Maize hoping to load it up, but a group of more than 10 Fulani intruded into the farm fenced with Cactuses and started feeding their Cows on the Maize. When we asked them to drive away their Cows, instead of complying, they rather landed on us with sticks that we should not drive away the Cows…” However, not only one of the attackers who is said to have sustained injury has been apprehended, but also a Cow.
In view of the recent happenings in the State, Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN hereby calls on Government at all levels as well as security agents to be proactive on early warning signals to avert the avoidable as festivities (Christmas and New Year) seasons approach.
By:
Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq.
Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria
