When
the alarm was raised, many thought it was false, some were complacent,
calling it an ethnic crisis. But bit by bit, the fear became a reality;
the subtle attacks which began over a decade ago have seen native
communities in Plateau State taken over by invading herders.
The
natives, mostly Berom by tribe watched helplessly as their homes were
occupied, the people killed and farmlands taken over and in some cases,
the original names of the villages changed. They wandered if their
children would ever return to their ancestral land.
It will
be recalled that the immediate past governor of the state, Jonah Jang, a
Berom by tribe; the Member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi in the
National Assembly, Istifanus Gyang; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba;
all Berom Socio-cultural groups especially its umbrella body, Berom
Educational and Cultural Organization, BECO and other tribes in Bassa
local government area among others had consistently appealed to the
Federal Government to tackle land occupation by foreign herders but all
entreaties were ignored.
According to a document obtained by
Saturday Vanguard, showing the various attacks in the area, over 54
communities have been taken over by the invaders which many of the
occupied communities renamed. The occupied communities include “Rotchun
(aka Rafin Acha), Dankum (renamed “Mahanga”), Hywa (renamed”Lugere”),
Fass (renamed “Tafawa”), Davwak, Chwelnyap, Lyoho Dakar, and Angwan
Dalyop which were all attacked Between September 7 and 10, 2001 with the
original inhabitants displaced.
Others are, “Janda, attacked on
8th February, 2010; Darin, attacked on 28th April, 2013;, Shong I,
Shong II; Rakweng; Dashugu; Diyan-Hei; Maseh (renamed “Lugel”) all
attacked on 29th June, 2012. It’s worth noting that it was in this same
community that Senator Gyang Dantong and Hon. Gyang Fulani, a legislator
representing Barkin Ladi Local Government Area were killed. Also
occupied by the invaders are Kampwas; Kasa; Zere; Ninja-Hei; Seh; Nicha;
Pwabeduk; Hyai; Kufang; Sharu; Dogo; Ningon; Rantis and Angio which
were all sacked and occupied on the 7th of July, 2012. Kachin community
was sacked on the 7th of November, 2012.
“On the 26th of
December, 2014, Shonong community was invaded and sacked, even as the
surviving inhabitants had not returned since. So also were Rahol and
Chikogo communities. Ranchol was attacked and occupied on the 7th of
October, 2013. Nangam was overran on the 30th of April, 2014, as well as
Kak and Dajak. Rarin was invaded on 30th August, 2015; Kujei on 2nd
February, 2015; Attakar attacked on 14th March, 2014, as well as Nantwa
and some parts of Bisichi.
“Rahol-Mazat was attacked and occupied
on 14th April, 2015; Kai and Luk-Fei on the 19th February, 2014;
Mallel, Bel between 8th and 9th of March, 2015. That of Rahei took place
on the 3rd of April, 2015; Zim, Jong, Rabuk, Lobiring and Gwara Dadep
on the 19th of June, 2015.
However, in all these attacks, no
Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp was provided for the displaced
persons as most of the sacked residents were accommodated by relatives
while they found a way of integrating themselves into safer communities
where they ran to.
Disturbed by this invasion, a youth group, APC
Youths Online Forum has appealed to relevant stakeholders to work with
Governor Simon Lalong to “reclaim the villages and lands occupied by the
herdsmen and hand them over to the natives of the communities”.
On
his part, the State Governor, Simon Lalong had done his best to ensure
peace in the State and lamented the spate of killings and displacement
of settlements saying that his administration would not tolerate land
grabbing in any part of the State.
According to him, “those
fighting, killing people and destroying their settlements with the
intention of taking ownership of such places would not be allowed to do
so. If you think you can chase people out and grab their land, we as a
government would not allow you to own the land. My administration is
working out modalities for prosecuting land grabbers to discourage the
act.”
TELL YOUR FRIENDS
Plateau: Herdsmen Rename Various Communities Grabbed From Indigenes
Reviewed by Alex Reports
on
09:11
Rating: 5
Plateau: Herdsmen Rename Various Communities Grabbed From Indigenes
When
the alarm was raised, many thought it was false, some were complacent,
calling it an ethnic crisis. But bit by bit, the fear became a reality;
the subtle attacks which began over a decade ago have seen native
communities in Plateau State taken over by invading herders.
The
natives, mostly Berom by tribe watched helplessly as their homes were
occupied, the people killed and farmlands taken over and in some cases,
the original names of the villages changed. They wandered if their
children would ever return to their ancestral land.
It will
be recalled that the immediate past governor of the state, Jonah Jang, a
Berom by tribe; the Member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi in the
National Assembly, Istifanus Gyang; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba;
all Berom Socio-cultural groups especially its umbrella body, Berom
Educational and Cultural Organization, BECO and other tribes in Bassa
local government area among others had consistently appealed to the
Federal Government to tackle land occupation by foreign herders but all
entreaties were ignored.
According to a document obtained by
Saturday Vanguard, showing the various attacks in the area, over 54
communities have been taken over by the invaders which many of the
occupied communities renamed. The occupied communities include “Rotchun
(aka Rafin Acha), Dankum (renamed “Mahanga”), Hywa (renamed”Lugere”),
Fass (renamed “Tafawa”), Davwak, Chwelnyap, Lyoho Dakar, and Angwan
Dalyop which were all attacked Between September 7 and 10, 2001 with the
original inhabitants displaced.
Others are, “Janda, attacked on
8th February, 2010; Darin, attacked on 28th April, 2013;, Shong I,
Shong II; Rakweng; Dashugu; Diyan-Hei; Maseh (renamed “Lugel”) all
attacked on 29th June, 2012. It’s worth noting that it was in this same
community that Senator Gyang Dantong and Hon. Gyang Fulani, a legislator
representing Barkin Ladi Local Government Area were killed. Also
occupied by the invaders are Kampwas; Kasa; Zere; Ninja-Hei; Seh; Nicha;
Pwabeduk; Hyai; Kufang; Sharu; Dogo; Ningon; Rantis and Angio which
were all sacked and occupied on the 7th of July, 2012. Kachin community
was sacked on the 7th of November, 2012.
“On the 26th of
December, 2014, Shonong community was invaded and sacked, even as the
surviving inhabitants had not returned since. So also were Rahol and
Chikogo communities. Ranchol was attacked and occupied on the 7th of
October, 2013. Nangam was overran on the 30th of April, 2014, as well as
Kak and Dajak. Rarin was invaded on 30th August, 2015; Kujei on 2nd
February, 2015; Attakar attacked on 14th March, 2014, as well as Nantwa
and some parts of Bisichi.
“Rahol-Mazat was attacked and occupied
on 14th April, 2015; Kai and Luk-Fei on the 19th February, 2014;
Mallel, Bel between 8th and 9th of March, 2015. That of Rahei took place
on the 3rd of April, 2015; Zim, Jong, Rabuk, Lobiring and Gwara Dadep
on the 19th of June, 2015.
However, in all these attacks, no
Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp was provided for the displaced
persons as most of the sacked residents were accommodated by relatives
while they found a way of integrating themselves into safer communities
where they ran to.
Disturbed by this invasion, a youth group, APC
Youths Online Forum has appealed to relevant stakeholders to work with
Governor Simon Lalong to “reclaim the villages and lands occupied by the
herdsmen and hand them over to the natives of the communities”.
On
his part, the State Governor, Simon Lalong had done his best to ensure
peace in the State and lamented the spate of killings and displacement
of settlements saying that his administration would not tolerate land
grabbing in any part of the State.
According to him, “those
fighting, killing people and destroying their settlements with the
intention of taking ownership of such places would not be allowed to do
so. If you think you can chase people out and grab their land, we as a
government would not allow you to own the land. My administration is
working out modalities for prosecuting land grabbers to discourage the
act.”
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