We are Under Seige, Miango Youths Cries Out

By Jide Afolabi, Jos

The Miango Youth Development Association of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau state has cried out to the international community to rescue their land adding that they are being terrorised daily by alleged Fulani Militias.

The Association in a press release issued by the Publicity Secretary of the body, Zongo Lawrence Nebant and made available to CityMirrorNews added that government has failed in its responsibility to protect their people.

It further alleged that withdrawal of the Sector 6 STF Command Jos in Irigwe chiefdom has heightened attacks on their people.

“A day after the withdrawal of sector 6 STF Command Jos in Irigwe chiefdom, on 3rd May, 2019 by 10pm gunmen invaded two villages of Bassa Local Government, Hukke and Rikwechongu suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. Killed two people, a mobile police officer killed by gunshot and and Di Zere 63yrs old man burnt beyond recognition in his room, 10 years old girl survived gunshot in Hukke, 75 houses with food stores and two churches were burnt and razed down, they destroyed farm produces worth millions of naira and a lot of domestic animals were killed, monies stolen and no any intervention from the Federal Government or a press release by Nigeria Police Force to confirm the incident.”

The Association denied killing of cows in Irigwe chiefdom stating that no Fulani in the area lodged such complaints. “We will like to make it clear again, we are not aware of any cow killed in Irigwe chiefdom by our youths. We know the Fulani’s who are with us and none of them complained of a missing cow. How on earth can we kill 319 cows a day with matches, it is impossible, we are not butchers but farmers. If only government will compensate the Fulani’s for false claims we need to be compensated too. Thousand of houses were burnt and razed down with churches, many farm produces destroyed worth millions of naira many survived injuries and hospitalized, we lost hundreds of our people by the Fulani Militias in the past three years.”

The statement alleged that, “genocide attack by the Fulani militias is an ethnic cleansing not only in Bassa alone but in rural areas of Bokkos, Mangu, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Jos North L.G.A of the State and other part of the country dominated by indigenous farmers.”

Zongo called on international communities and other concerned individuals to assist Irigwe chiefdom to empower their farmers and rebuild houses burnt by the Fulani militias since last 3 years and with the current ones and investigate the killings.

He urged Irigwe youths to continue to be law abiding citizens and not take law into their hands but to be self protective.