Dark moments have become a daily happening in Plateau State, especially in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Bassa and part of Mangu and Jos North Local Government Areas where incessant violent eruptions have been rocking the said Local Government Areas as a result of terror attacks unleashed by some Hausa and Fulani bigots.
This has been affirmed by an unprovoked attack on some Christian youth of Chwelnyap community in Jos North on May 6, 2019 at Zololo Junction which is said to be a dangerous point not only to people of Chwelnyap popularly known as Congo, but also motorists plying the road. As a result, one Mr. Dakai David Davou aged 36 was stabbed dead, while several others were fatally injured in one of the two incidences that occurred at that particular point same day.
Among those injured include Kainde Francis, Lucky Daniel, Useni John, Godi, Samuel Sunday and Mr. Mekwe John who were able to identify some of the assailants as Ibrahim, Faruk, Umar, Sani and one Umar Jamilu (alias Papa) among a group of not less than 15 armed youth that carried out the gory acts.
One of the victims by name Mekwe John narrated that “at about 10:00am of 6th day of May, 2019, my friends and I were coming back through Zololo Junction along Bauchi road in Jos without knowing that a group of Muslim youth armed with dangerous weapons including firearms, swords, knives and big sticks enchanting ‘allahhh uwakubar’ and also shouting that we should be killed descended on us”. It was at that moment the unsuspecting victims realized that their lives were at stake as many promising Lives had been previously terminated through similar attacks that escalated to the extent of engulfing the whole State spilling over to other States of Nigeria.
In further response, Mr. Mekwe said, ” I was surprised when I saw Jamilu Umar whom we personally knew leading the ranting youth ferociously brandishing weapons towards us. Before we realized what was happening, they we found ourselves under serious attack leading to injuries gravely sustained by some of us.”
To reaffirm that it was a premeditated act, another attack was unleashed on 3 inhabitants of same community at exact location at about 5:00pm or thereabout leading to dead of Mr. Dakai David Davou while 2 of his friends escaped with injuries.
The incident was reported to security agents who swiftly responded as a result of which Jamilu Umar (a.k.a. papa) and other 2 perpetrators were arrested by personnel of Operation Safe Haven according to Mr. Toma Maisamari who condemned the incident and also called for calmness as security agents are on top of the situation more so that arrest of some of the bad elements have been arrested. He however implore for arrest of other suspects and duly prosecuted so as to serve as deterrent to those with such propensity.
Rev. Pam Rahol of COCIN LCC Chwelnyap, Jos North LGA admonished Christian youth to leave vengeance to God, reading from the book of Roman 12:17-21. The man of God commended some Muslim youth who resisted the unprovoked attack meted out on the innocent Christian youth condemning same as it’s against public peace and security. This, he said at ECWA Hospital’s (Jankwano) Mortuary where the corpse of Mr. Dakai was previously deposited and now taken to Vom, his homestead for burial.
In the same vein, other community leadership Simon Markus Adamu and Mr Dung Rwang Jig also registered their dismay over the tragic incident on peace loving community members who were attacked for no just cause. They leadership however assured ECCVN that legal means of ventilating their grievances will be eschewed to Forster peace in the area and beyond since some of the attackers were immediately arrested upon timeous intervention of the security agents.
Effort made to confirm the transfer of the arrested attackers to CIID could not be ascertained as phone contacts called have been unreachable.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first time Chwelnyap community and it’s environs have been under aggressive invasions of Muslims leading to untimely dead of hundreds of residents including passers-by.
It therefore behoves on constitutes authorities, as a matter of urgency, to station security agents at Zololo Junction and other security flash points as measure to curb down the menace.
In addition, those arrested be speedily prosecuted diligently while effort intensified to arrest/fish out other peace disruptive elements so that our society will be rid of terrorist/criminal actors.
By Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq.
Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria
