The lawmaker representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency in Plateau State at the House of Representatives, Solomon Marren, has raised the alarm over the killing of his constituents by suspected herdsmen.
Marren, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Thursday over the killings, alleged ethnic cleansing.
He said, “I am deeply pained and grieved by the recent spate of wanton killings and destruction of properties by suspected herders—the Fulani militia—in Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency. This ugly and barbaric killing of innocent, peace-loving, and law-abiding citizens is unfortunate, condemnable, censurable, and of grave concern. I reprobate such a dastardly, wicked, and ungodly act in its entirety.
“We want the world to know that on November 14, 2022, an innocent and law-abiding citizen in Gold village of Butura land was attacked, maimed, and killed while returning from the farm for just no reason.
“Also, on November 15, 2022, a group of militia suspected to be herders, fully armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunition, launched an attack on Maikatako village, also in Butura ward of Bokkos Local Government Area, where they killed and burnt to ashes more than 11 people, injured many, and destroyed property worth millions of naira, as well as left hundreds of people homeless and displaced.
“Furthermore, just yesterday, November 16, 2022, another gruesome attack was meted out on some villages, namely Folloh and Mai Jankai, all in Butura Ward, where many other people lost their lives and houses and property worth millions of naira were equally burnt down by the attackers.”
The lawmaker recalled that four persons were killed in Kulias and three others in Makale, all in Butura, on October 24 and November 8, 2022, respectively, by the same militia.
Marren stated, “We want to inform the world that over 300,000 hectares of farmlands have been destroyed by the herders due to deliberate and reckless grazing without caution and/or fear of anybody. Most farmers had little or no harvest due to this wicked action of unscrupulous herders.
“We are disturbed that these attacks are just too many. Just within a month, we have buried more than 30 men and women, including children. Unfortunately, despite the presence of Operation Safe Haven Sector 5, the attackers appeared more armed than the security agents could either counter, repel, or scare them.
“We are especially concerned that with the kind of syndicate the militia has demonstrated and the precision with which they get to their target, if nothing is done urgently to curb these heinous occurrences, the situation may escalate beyond imagination and the entire locality, if not the state, may be thrown into confusion, chaos, and total pandemonium.”
The lawmaker, while further condemning “this iniquitous, heinous, and villainous act,” called on the federal and state governments to rise to their primary responsibility of securing lives and property.”
Marren also urged the Federal Government to mandate the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; and other security agencies to “mobilise more security agents to the troubled areas, investigate the root causes, with a view to bringing the culprits to justice, restoring normalcy, and forestalling future occurrences.”