*They were moving from house-to-house during raid -Council boss
BY ORIAKU IJELE (LAGOS) & DAVID DACHEN (JOS)
As the nation grappled with the shocks of attacks by gunmen on communities in Benue State a few days ago, it woke up Friday, with reports of fresh attacks in communities in Plateau and Taraba states, leading to loss of over 19 lives, aside destruction of homes, and displacement of vulnerable citizens.
The Daily Monitor on Saturday gathered that communities in
in Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas were affected in Plateau State, while Bali LGA was affected in Taraba, primarily as a result of a conflict over source of water.
It was reported that, “The deadly attack on Juwan in the Tangur District of Bokkos Local Government Area occurred on Thursday night, with ten persons killed and some others sustaining serious injuries.
“In Manja, Chafem Chiefdom of Mangu Local Government Area, three persons were killed on Thursday evening.
“They were on the farm tilling the grounds and tending their farmland when the attackers caught them unaware and killed them. Others escaped with injuries after the intervention of security operatives following a distress call from those who escaped the onslaught.”
According to the Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Council, Amalau Samuel, the incident was barbaric and inhuman.
“The attackers came late at night and started killing innocent people. They were going from house to house, and where they could not gain entrance, they broke through the ceiling.
“Those affected mostly are the aged and children who could not run, while those agile fled for safety”.
The terrorists in the other attack in Manja, Chafem Kingdom of Mangu, killed three persons on the farm with over twenty houses burnt before the intervention of security operatives.
Mathew Kwarpo, said the terrorists invaded the community and killed three people before they were repelled by security men in conjunction with the youths.
“In the second attack, there was no casualty, but the people are already displaced. So, we are appealing to both the state and federal governments to come to our aid.
“The attacks in recent times on our communities are just too much. Anytime they issued notice of an attack, they would fulfill it.
“The security men are no doubt trying their best, but they are being overpowered. This is a calculated attempt to seize our land from us and to occupy our land illegally. So we are calling on President Tinubu to intervene,” he said.
In Taraba, Aboki Dauda, the LG boss of Bali bemoaned such attacks, ruing over the massive destruction on livelihoods in the area following the attacks.
According to him, “What happened here was terrible, you can see houses burnt, people displaced, but thank God that there was no life lost.
“Trouble started at the pond where the Tiv people were fetching water, the Fulani herders brought their cattle there, destroyed the area, and a woman who went to fetch water confronted them for spoiling the water by asking their cattle to drink from where they fetch to also drink,” he said.
“There and then, they attacked her with their sticks and she fell, cried, and called the husband and neighbours to assist her, and from there the crisis escalated all over the two communities.
“I took a bold step and summoned the leaders of the herders at the local government secretariat. We have identified them and warned that if such is repeated, they will be held responsible.”
An eye witness, who is a farmer said: “While running, I pulled out my phone and called our Tiv leader, who instructed me to run to the police station immediately. While escaping, I couldn’t go further. I stopped, and they pounced on me; they were about 30, hitting me with sticks and cutlasses, and that was how they inflicted injuries on me.”
In response, Taraba State Government says it will not tolerate any breach of peace in the form of communal clashes or any farmers vs herders conflicts to scuttle its peace efforts.
