A Jos based lawyer, Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri has allegedly being hunted for consistently exposing and attacking the criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen in Central Nigeria.
Dalyop, 34, the Chief Executive Officer Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria has for over a decade been tracking, reporting and prosecuting attacks and other forms of criminality by Fulani Herdsmen in Plateau and other middle belt states.
He recently succeeded in reversing the name of a school project by the Sustainable Development Goals, Abuja head office, in Rankum, a Berom Community in Plateau State, allegedly annexed and renamed to Mahanga by Fulani militia.
The school was named after a Fulani leader – “Ardo Mamuda Primary School Mahanga”. Dalyop and a group of natives displaced from the community petitioned the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and were invited to Abuja twice for talks but they refused to accept financial offers, insisting that the name of the school legitimizes landgrab.
The name of the school was later changed but the name of the community maintained as Officials said it was not within their powers to determine ownership.
Dalyop has also been consistent in visiting and providing humanitarian and legal aid to victims of Herdsmen attacks and other atrocities.
He in the past narrowly escaped assassination and has been warned several times to desist, but he has remained unwavering.
“His failure to back out from criminalizing Fulani in every of his reports after series of warnings has earned him serious trouble,” says a source close to the lawyer.
“Inside sources revealed on Monday that his photograph has been taken to Saudi Arabia, and his phone contact is being trailed from Abuja just to have him shot dead or captured alive. His present residence has been traced by some hired agents,” said the source who would not be named for security reasons.
The source confirmed that the lawyer is currently in hiding and unable to take calls or speak to press.
When asked whether the matter has been reported to Securities, the source said Dalyop has been on the watchlist of Government Securities for years, and could be further endangered if reported.
Barr. Dalyop’s close friend and partner, Masara Kim Usman, a Journalist was recently interrogated by the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Police Force over a news report he published on his website exposing plans to attack some communities in Plateau.
Efforts to get comments from the Plateau Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ubah Ogaba proved abortive as his phone was unreachable during the time of filing this report.
