From MARIAM ALESHINLOYE AGBOOLA JOS
A new dimension was introduced to the attack on the natives by Fulani herdsmen last Monday when in broad daylight they attacked Shonong Village in Bachit District of Riyom Local Government of Plateau State where villagers claimed over 33 were killed and security agencies claimed only 16 died.
The attack which from all indications was aimed at wiping out the whole community not only showed that the Fulanis were better armed with sophisticated weapons than the STF men put on ground, but that they have more information about the capabilities and movement of the Special Task Force men who have been operating in the state for over six years. The STF complained about the difficult terrain of Plateau but it’s odd that they are not yet used to the area where a senator and House of Assembly member were killed barely a year ago to constantly monitor or keep their men on standby to curb further attacks.
On New Year’s eve, the attackers gave a preamble of what to expect at a later date. They struck Shonong village while the villagers were in church to welcome the new year and killed two people including the acting village head. They left many with gunshot wounds. They were back six days later to finally dislodge the inhabitants, killing women and children when they were sure that the men had left for their farms. It is no longer news that Riyom which is a fertile land with good climate has always been attractive to cattle rearers.
According to the community head, Da Iliya Nyam Vomagai, the Fulanis came around 9:30 am. He said they knew about the invaders’ presence when they heard gunshots. On going to investigate what had happened, they saw that a man had been killed right behind his house. At 10:00 am they heard ‘Allahu Akbar’ then they began to hear more gunshots from all directions, sending panic to the community. The STF men in the village came out immediately in defence of the villagers and tried to stop the Fulanis from continuing with their shooting. “We heard them telling the STF men that we are not here for you but if you want us to treat you like them then we shall do that and they began shooting not minding if the soldiers died or not” he said adding the few security men in the village could not confront them because they were more numerous and more daring. They came with sophisticated weapons. The STF men asked for reinforcement but that was not forthcoming. The Fulani herdsmen were bent on making sure we left the village that day.” He however commended the efforts of the men on ground; saying they did their best but the Fulanis overwhelmed them. He said it was just by divine intervention that the security men on ground and some of them survived the attack. He claimed that in all about 33 people died. However, the STF put the figure at 16.
According to Pastor Gwong Dachollom of the COCIN church in the area “The way the security men behaved that day, our people have totally lost confidence in them and that is all the more reason villagers began to leave the community after the incident. They now know that these men cannot guarantee their safety.” He insisted that some of the attackers were in Army uniform, adding “But where they came from, we do not know.” Dachollom said he was in the village from the beginning to the end of the attack, explaining further that, “The way the military defended us on Monday was not actually the right way, because instead of them facing the Fulani, they faced us with bullets flying all over our heads. I saw them with my own eyes because I hid close to the church here. I want the government to do something very fast because we are not safe in this village. Now you can see that only few of us are here now both women and children have fled the village for their safety. We want people to know that this is terrorism. If the government cannot handle it then we are gone”.
The modus operandi of the Fulanis was to shoot any victim they come across in the village. They stormed the village from different directions. After they shot their victims they used their cutlasses to hack them to death; making sure they have no chances of survival. The old and feeble either had their limbs severed from their bodies or given deep cuts on every part of their bodies with the intention that they would bleed to death. At a house, no fewer than seven inhabitants who had hidden in a room were roasted alive when the house was set on fire. The food barns and domestic animals were not spared.
At the Vom Christian Hospital, the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Samuel Dido explained that 20 victims were brought on Monday by the STF men at about 4pm. He said most of the victims were women and children i.e the elderly and some young wives. All of them had machette cuts on their bodies. Some had their earlobes nearly severed from the heads. There was one with severed jaw and some had one of their hands chopped off . In order to save the lives of some of the victims, Dido said they did not leave the theater that day until past ten at night. Four cases that were severe were referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital while 15 were admitted. A few have been discharged while some will remain for two to three weeks. Those whose limbs were chopped off, he said, had been referred to specialists for proper management.
The doctor said a woman who had machette cut on her head, was just lucky that it did not affect her brain and that the cut was just above the layer of the brain. There was a baby also affected lying with her mother on the bed and another two-year-old girl still receiving drip. The doctor stated that he learnt that there were many dead bodies lying in the village.
One of the victims lying critically ill at Vom Christian Hospital, Tabita Gyaing (31) disclosed that after she has been shot on the leg, her attacker still axed her on the head. She said her head had been stitched and she is recovering. Most of the women who survived the ordeal were in a state of shock at the hospital. The doctor said an old woman who had no external injury, had blood trauma in the head giving her headache and was looking unconscious at the time of our visit.
Meanwhile, member representing Riyom Constituency in the state assembly, Hon. Daniel Dem who witnessed the mass burial of 10 of the victims in Shonong, said it was sad that the entire village was surrounded without security people killing or capturing one of the invaders.
The lawmaker said, “I thought that the new year, 2014, was going to be a year my constituents will experience peace but reverse is the case. I think something is seriously wrong somewhere. We really appreciate the security here on ground for trying their best to protect human lives, but we regret the attitude of those of them that refused to come and assist them, to reinforce the security on ground”.
He wondered why the STF men would be kept in Jos doing nothing when the villages where they are needed are left defenceless. “Why will a large number of STF men be stationed in various check points in the towns while villages are being attacked every day? This is a question the security chiefs need to answer, the STF need to bring reinforcement to the villages”, he said. Dem who is the Majority Leader in state House of Assembly promised to present the issues on the floor of the House for immediate action, saying it is a serious issue that the state needs to take action on in order to protect lives of citizens of the state.
The state Commissioner of Information and Communication Pastor Yiljap Abraham who described the killings as barbaric, said, “ It is becoming increasingly apparent that the attackers’ tactic was to displace communities and ultimately occupy their homes by striking them with terror and unwarranted fury”. He assured that they would not succeed due to security measures being taken and increased community vigilance.
The Plateau State Government, Abraham stated, is working with the various security structures on ground which are adopting extra measures to defeat this emerging insurgency aimed at decimating and displacing communities and then occupying their land. He appealed to Plateau people to maintain greater alertness and work with security agencies to keep Plateau safe at all times.
However much needs to be done in terms of empowering the people and securing the villages. It is sad to note that most of the villages, despite having suffered attacks have no government presence and villagers still live in mud houses without protection, thus making them vulnerable to constant attacks. These areas lack electricity, roads, potable water and hospitals.
source...sunnewsonline
No comments:
Post a Comment