Yakubu Busari, Jos
The Chairman of the Plateau State Chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, Alh Muhammad Nuru Abdullahi has said his members in the Mangu Local Government has lost no fewer than 50 cows, their houses destroyed, while another set lost 63 cows and nine sheep in Ancha community of Bassa LGA of the state recently .
In a press statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Jos, he said, “with great sense of responsibility we the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria Plateau State Chapter, want to show our total dismay and overwhelming shock over the recent happening in Miango chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area and Fan district of B/ladi Local Government Area and their environs.
According to him “this nasty experience reoccurs in Kinat and Tukur villages general area of Mangu LGA on May 21, 2018 when Beroms people attacked cattle at homes in the evening, killed over 50 and looted the meat without any provocation. The Beroms and Irigwe militias have resorted to rampant attacks, killings of herders and rustling of cows. What baffled us is the repeated killings of this cows.”
The Miango chiefdom genocide and the Fan district’s Berom annihilation massacre crusade is becoming one too many. Having gone unpunished on the previous mass killings of hundreds of the sedentary pastoralists last years and early this year, have given them the courage to re-plan and execute their nefarious activities, the Irigwe and Beroms tribesmen’s conspired with some politician and highly place personalities in attacking and killing of Fulani’s and their herds of cows which is back again. After series of attacks, killing, rustling of herds of cows destroyed properties, they have;
“On Monday, May 20, 2018, that the Irigwe militia group from Ancha village holding sophisticated fire arms lunch an attack on cattles and their rearers who escape by the whisk but 63 cows and 9 sheep were shot to death without any reason or provocation. The cows belong to Alh Rago Ishaq, Sani Ishaq and Yakubu Ishaq. They have been rampaging from one area to another, looking for where they will locate cows and kill or Fulani.”
He alleged that the killings are going on without any arrest of the culprits even though some have been identified to the authorities.
“We may recap that in Fan district of B/ladi LGA the following;
On the 9th, April 2018, 93 cows belonging to Iliyasu Guda Gidado were rustled from Nding village into Fan district, not one out of all the cows have been recovered. While on 6th may, 2018, 166 cows were rustled from Mangun Halle village of Mangu LGA into Fan district of B/ladi LGA by the Berom militia group, all effort to recovered the cows went in vein
“In Miango chiefdom of Bassa LGA we also recalled that;
“On 20th April, 2018, 56 cows belonging to Adamu Buba and Dauda Adamu were rustled from Kwachudu village of Miango district into the chiefdom,whom their leaders came out categorically in a media enterviw start that the cows have cross into their area. As a result one person was arrested and have in a confession mentioned five others who are yet to be arrested.
“On 10th May 2018, 109 cows belonging to Isa Burti were rustled at gun point in Orridam and Mai’yanga villages of kwal district in Miango chiefdom 61 were recovered while 48 are yet to be recovered.
“We therefore, call on Government and security agencies to work modalities and crush this terrorist gangs groups. Secondly, we wish all of them be fished out and be dealt with accordingly. Thirdly, those that have been identified should face the wrath of the law, lastly, the orchestrators of this crime and their financiers should be properly identified and brought to book.”
When contacted, the State Police PPRO of the Nigeria Police Force, Mathias Toyev said he has no knowledge of the killings as alleged by MACBAN in any part of the state but promised to speak with the DPO in charge of Mangu and furnish this medium with more details, if any, later.
