As Plateau State continues to witness insecurity that has claimed more than 9 lives of native inhabitants of Irigwe ethnic extraction in the last one week despite frantic efforts to curb down the needless situation, armed group suspected to be Fulani Militias, have, again, thrown Chaha village of Vwang District in Jos South LGA, Plateau State into another state of mourning in the night of September 9th, 2021, killing a member of Neighborhood Watch while another sustained fatal injuries.
In an on-the spot assessment Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN embarks on, the Development Chairman of Chaha, Mr. Chollom Dauda Choji briefly narrated that, “..at about 8:05pm of 9th September, 2021, we lost a members of our community to the cold hand of death as a result of ambush laid by Fulani who also stationed themselves in strategic locations and opened gunfire all over the place. Julius Davou Mwatvwang, aged 34 was shot dead leaving behind his wife and 4 children while
Ezekiel Emmanuel Choji sustained 3 grievous injuries from direct gunshots,” he said.
Choji added that the Victims were members of Community Police Neighborhood Watch (Community Police) returning from work just some few metres closed to Chaha, where they met their untimely exit without any reason known to the residents.
As to the response of security agents, it appears there is utter neglect of the distressed village despite pressing calls placed for security presence, Mr Choji said, “up to now, we have not seen any security agent..” to assess the situation and possibly commence preliminary investigation that could lead to the identification of the attackers for arrest, but conspiracy of silence appears to have gained ground.
The incident is one of many that have caused many lives lost in Plateau communities, especially Irigwe, Anaguta and Berom Chiefdoms aside other aggressions including threats and intimidation, ambushes, unprecedented destruction of farmed crops daily witnessed without much action to addressing the insecurity. For instance, non arraignment of suspects arrested for involvement in armed invasions would invariably embolden the terror actors to keep terrorising target Communities and villages. Likewise, failure to replicate rapid response when it happens in other locations raises many questions of fairness, equity and justice in crisis management.
ECCVN observes that if the continued killings and other forms of violence in and around Plateau are not nip in the bud, there might be a high tendency anarchy inevitably looming up as a probable consequence of the current happenings.
In the light of the above, authorities concerned are hereby urged to rise up to their respective responsibilities so that a common man, like any other, can have guarantee of his safety assired. In addition, a clarion call is made to Government for compensation to Victims of recent attacks not only in Plateau, but also other States of the Federation. This would undeniably pose a demonstration of sense of belonging giving to whosoever that must have suffered as a result of the trending insecurity bedeviling our land.
By:
Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq.
Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN
