On the spot assessment by Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN reveals that no fewer than 16 people have been reportedly murdered by suspected armed Fulani militias between 10th-16th of November, 2022 in villages of Bokkos LGA, Plateau State, rendering hundred of survivors homeless.
According to eyewitness account that pleaded anonymity, it’s gathered that, “on Tuesday, 15th of November, 222, we lost 11 people in a nearby village called Maikatako. Few hours after we had conducted a mass burial of those killed, and their nostalgic departure still fresh in our minds, the armed Fulani, again, invaded four villages namely, Kunet, Maiyanga, Maijankai and Sangwak but we’re repelled by security agents. Shockingly at about 9:00pm, when we were on our watch, we heard heavy gunfire into Folloh, my village” the invasion of which led to hundreds of residents including women and children fled for their life before the whole village was razed down.
Another respondent thumps up the response of security agents for prompt intervention as he appreciates the “…intelligence earlier disseminated that villages within Butura should be on serious vigilance against looming mass attacks by Fulani militias, otherwise no one would have been able to escape the heavy gunfire onslaughts virally unleashed even though Namang John 22 year old was burnt to dead. The response of the security agents greatly help in curbing down the magnitude of the devastation..” he said. According him, the 19 households that completely lost their homes and valuables in Folloh village are:
- Lydia John
- Jambweng Istifanus
- Mangun John
- Isa Peter
- Lawrence Mafulul
- Samuel Magit
- Sunday Magit
- Ibrahim Magit
- Danjuma Musa
- Bala Mafwalal
- Doy Bala
- Michael Danladi
- Matur Mambayat
- John Peter
- Danjuma Mashor
- Teni John
- Tajan Garba
- Tawum Matur
- David Sule.
Injured
- Michael Danladi
- Danjuma Mashor
- Pollong Sunday
- Mamot Peter
- Awang Peter
- Toma Magit
- Mandik Garba
- Micah Mariyom
Aside the humanitarian crisis the attacks have occasioned as all harvested crops and other foodstuffs including dry season farm implements are lost, another area of grave concern is that, “all our Permanent Voters’ Cards have been burnt,” thereby defranchizing the survivors the right to participate in the forthcoming general elections should nothing is done about it. This was an outcry expressed by Mr. Samuel Magit who called on Bokkos Local Government, Plateau State Government and civil rights organization to stage a crusade calling on Independent National Electoral Commission-INEC to, as a matter of urgency and conscience, “draw the attention of INEC to consider our precarious situation and reprint our lost Voters’Cards so that we are not barred from electing candidates of our respective choice in the forthcoming general elections, 2023,” he passionately appeals.
To confirm the related incidents that occurred previously, Sule Marshall, the youth President of Butura registers his concern about the continued raiding by gunmen believed to be militants from the Fulani tribe in the past and recent times, especially one Saturday, 12th November, 2022, when they attacked Makabat Butura – a village of 15miles northwest of Bokkos town in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State at about 7pm local time, killing three. “They killed a woman and her son, and another man in the village,” said Marshall in a phone interview.
Inspite of the timely response by security agents, especially Operation Safe Haven in ensuring an end to the condemnable acts of hostility being witnessed, the attackers continue ravaging communities and also destroying farmed crops by of way overnights mischievous grazing which are worrisome developments.
This is confirmed by another invasion on Maikatako village of Bokkos LGA, where 11 persons including children gruesomely burnt beyond recognition at about 10:15pm of Tuesday, 15th November, 2022, leaving not only the affected village, but also other neighboring villages and communities in perpetual fears of surprising onslaughts.
Those burnt (killed) include:
- Umundum Maren 82
- Satmun Gyokos 27
- Larai Ginai 70
- Seth Matthew 2
- Dorcas Satmak 28
- Peret Satmak 13
- Nanribet Satmak
- Longkinan Satmak 1yr
- Taho Isa 7
- Sakanjalla Isa
- Ubwas Emmanuel
In view of the tragic situation that defies efforts, ECCVN hereby calls for-
- Urgent relief intervention by SEMA, NEMA and humanitarian aid agencies and/or organizations for food, shelter and psychosocial support;
- Payment of compensation to all those killed, and also free medical services to those injured
- Heavy stationing of Federal security agents in all the affected areas so to guarantee the safety of residents which will invariably address the ongoing vacation of villages and communities within the area concerned;
- Discreet investigation into the situation so as to identify the sponsor, actors and the routes as well as modus operandi of the attackers for necessary action including prosecution;
- Empowerment of Local Security Outfits with licensed weapons to enable them respond to distress situation before the arrival of Federal security agents;
- Combing of locations and settlements suspected of housing terrorist inclined elements; and
- Any other measure deemed for in the circumstance (s) of the prevailing situation at hand.
