Resident speaks: How Plateau caught fire

Mahdi Garba, a resident of Plateau state, says the incident that led to the attacks on some communities in the state occurred a week ago.

Suspected herdsmen attacked three local government areas of the state on Saturday night. While residents said over 1oo lives were lost, the police confirmed 86 casualties.

According to Garba, the attacks were triggered by a a face-off between some suspected Fulani and Berom people of the state.

He said after the misunderstanding, aggrieved Fulani invaded the burial of one Baba Jakawa, “a devout Christian who died at 80”.

Garba said many people were killed at the burial.

He accused the state government and security operatives of failing to do enough to curtail the crisis.

“The gravity of the mayhem is beyond what social media commentators are saying,” Garba told TheCable via email.

“The crisis started a about a week ago when some men with Fulani identity had a face-off with Beroms (the majority ethnic group in Barikin Ladi local government of Plateau state).

“As usual, what is happening now is a reprisal attack. What befuddles me about this crisis is the timing of the attack and the victims.

“To give this crisis an ethno-religious undertone, the reprisal took place during a burial of one Baba Jakawa, a devout Christian who died at 80.

“In a state like Plateau state where a communal clash can evolve into a religious crisis, security operatives should have responded swiftly but regrettably the narrative was different.

“There was no effort by the government to curtail the crisis that started from Gashish, Gindin Akwati to Heipang, Kuzen, Nyarr and now, even Bukuru.”

Garba accused Simon Lalong, the governor, and his deputy of falling below expectation.

“There is no gainsaying that the the state Governor has failed in fulfilling his primary responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of Plateau people,” he said.

“If there is a serious government in place, no miscreant will block the Jos-Abuja highway in the name of vengeance on innocent travellers. But, when the government fails to protect the people, the people take the responsibility. Both actions remain condemned.

“The current government must take the bull by the horn and bring the actors to book no matter whose ox is gored, if they are after averting similar occurrence in the future.

“Religious and political leaders in Plateau state should use their pulpits for good and stop fanning the flames of these crises through provocative speeches.”