National Issues
Plateau Killings: What Truly Transpired In IPAN, Barkin Ladi – An Eyewitness Account
• What transpired?
• Fulani herdsmen mode of operations
• Suspicions, fears
THEY should have seen this attack coming weeks before now, that the relative peace Plateau State was enjoying was just for awhile. Exactly one month ago, a fresh crisis erupted in Barkin Ladi, where shootings endured for hours, and after calling security agencies to no avail; broadcast messages became the means of communication among innocent corps members recently deployed to the state. Kuru was the next safest location as several people fled to lie in wait till the crisis died down.
Few weeks, it was a curfew that was placed on areas surrounding Barkin Ladi- Bokkos, and IPAN Airport alike where bikes were ordered to stop working from 5pm. This was after little swatches of crisis were perpetrated in several villages, and a curfew was called to help security agencies identify the messy trail of bodies left behind in the Fulani Herders crisis.
Instead of the crisis to abate, it escalated to several villages surrounding Gashish district, where more than scores were reported dead in 11 villages. Speaking to our correspondent in an eye witness report, Femi an eyewitness who was privy to some of the killings along the IPAN Airport road leading Barkin Ladi gave deeper insights into what truly transpired in the Plateau bloodbath, the Fulani herdsmen mode of operations and how he was able to escape the dreaded massacre back to the state capital, Jos.
What the fight was truly about
Femi happened to be in Jos before paying a visit to IPAN Airport, few kilometres drive from Barkin Ladi where he stayed from early Sunday morning till Monday afternoon. He was quick to note that he wasn’t at the scene of the killings but he stayed in the Airport for awhile. Femi also did well to dwell into the crux of the matter, saying the issue is neither religious nor a Fulani Herdsmen issue.
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“It is not a particular fight he remarked, it is woven in the sense that everyone is fighting for his family member. By family member, I mean fighting for a tribe and fighting for religious group,” he said as a matter of fact. According to him, the fight is not a new battle but the issue had dragged on for long.
The circle of blood bath between Berom and Fulani People
“Due to what I found, I noticed that these people began offending each other right from the outset. I learnt the Fulanis are the tribe that doesn’t forgive likewise the Berom tribe. Anytime these tribes offend each other they would definitely retaliate.” Femi noted that this is the crux of continuous unending bloodbath in the State which is made to look like fresh sets of attacks occurring all over again; meanwhile it was crisis unresolved that keeps opening up.
Major issue that led to the bloodbath
“The fight began due to a sale of cattle worth forty million naira by Fulani Herdsmen. After selling the cow, some locals attacked those Fulani Herdsmen, killed them and took the money alongside the cow. Apart from that, I heard that there a lot of people who kill Fulani herders and keep their cows for themselves. If any of the Fulanis survives the massacre, they pass the message to their families and children to retaliate.” This continuous circle usually leads to retaliation on the part of Fulani herdsmen who always take revenge for the loss of their dead family members and cows, which is their property as well. Femi went to talk about the mode of operation of Fulani herdsmen. The ways Fulani herdsmen attack is in unison at the same time.
Mode of operations
“They kill anyone leaving no stone turned. If they are going to attack a village, they will divide themselves into groups and start the attack at the same time. If they will start at midnight, they will start once, exactly 12am making the killings massive. There is no way to escape, so if you are running out of this village or place, you are running into another place,” Femi said.
Fulani Herdsmen, the common enemy
Femi agreed with the reports of the COCIN Church which stated that the Barkin Ladi attack was perpetrated at a Funeral procession where over 200 people were killed. But Femi gave another perspective. “It is true that there was a killing at Barkin Ladi. If a Fulani herdsman kills a Christian and knowing that that the Muslims are minority, they should naturally face the herdsmen to retaliate. Instead of the Muslims to face the Fulani herdsmen, they will interpret it as an inter-tribal war and face the other tribe instead of the common enemy which is the bigger elephant in the room. Same thing goes for the Muslims as well. They interpret every attack as ethno-tribal.”
Military, very supportive of the attacks
The Military are culpable in the on-going attacks. “The Military men are after money and can’t be trusted. The military people want the crisis to last because they are paid for as long as the crisis continues,” Femi told our correspondent. The military keep getting paid for security and do not take any proactive measures to stop the killing. The military continue giving wrong facts and statistics to make sure the crisis goes on, our correspondent gathered.
The case for Peace
Femi used the opportunity to advocate for peace. He stated that religion was brought in by the missionaries. “Both Christianity and Islam came into being by the missionaries. Before now, Nigerians had their gods.” Femi blamed the missionaries for some of these killings as it is what has continued to persist in the Plateau State Fulani Herder crisis, refusing to agree whether the land is dominated by Christians or Muslims.
“The Christians might have a higher population in the land, but that doesn’t mean Muslims don’t have a right to stay. In the west, Yorubas are quite accommodating than this.”
The whole thing is political!
“Christianity is just a religion and not a way to salvation. It is working in the love of God. The people of Plateau are Christians religious wise and Pastors support the killings. You can’t be losing members of your family and not retaliate, Femi added. A concerned Femi believed peace can be resolved.
However, he spoke of how ruthless the locals were to the Fulani herdsmen, saying some locals willingly kill the Fulani Herdsmen and their cattle and take the spoils. “It is so glaring that these issues are very deep. Some people will go and kill Fulani Herdsmen and kill them and take their cows to sell. Femi went on, “if the Christians soldiers were paid to kill their Christian brothers in the land, they will kill them. However if it is the Muslim brothers were paid to kill their brothers indigenes, they wouldn’t.”
Our correspondent found out that Christians just play on the media, making it look like they are being made victim, but the death toll and attack is on both sides. However, the bloodbath is a political game. Femi told our correspondent that some people fight Jihad by killing or supporting with money. “In the Muslim aspect, some people believe in fighting Jihad and they must kill in fighting any Jihad. Apart from the culpable Christians, some Muslims in this land are fighting Jihad and some people have volunteered themselves. I saw some indigenes carrying guns with their hands and the military couldn’t stop them.
They were going around in search of Fulani Herdsmen to kill them in retaliation, mobilising, volunteering themselves on bikes and other means of transport to kill people.”
What happened in Barkin Ladi?
Femi recounted that on his journey, he saw two trailers loaded with foodstuffs being burnt however, and they were quelled by fire. He also told our correspondent that the killings were done in the middle of the night and bullets rained all through the night.
“On Sunday in Church, we closed very early; this was due to the fact that the pastor’s wife urged the church to close early after hearing 63 people had been killed. Femi said several people who perpetrated the genocide had charms on. “They are not the ones that bullets penetrate their bodies, any trial to shoot them can return back to you. Some bullets go off target when shoot them.” Femi said the real number of people that died was inexistent save for those on the scene of the attack and those that were on the scene as early as possible. It was also discovered that the Government of the state has been avoiding the media as regards the bloodbaths. This was what most people concluded on the course of the attack. He made mention of the fact that the official number of two hundred people killed was wrong as more people were killed beyond that number being circulated officially.
Gunshots at night
Spending the night at the Airport was hellish for Femi as he admitted he couldn’t sleep throughout the night due to the gunshots he heard all through the night. “We couldn’t find any mopol or soldier but some were guarding the place. However, I expected more soldiers to be deployed to the Airport, to at least secure the place.” In end, none came for either Femi or the person whom he spent the night with, hearing bullets shots till morning.
Police abscond from duty
“All the policemen that were right in the Airport ran away. It was in the morning that I saw them,” Femi recounted. He said that the Muslim community close to him were responsible for the gunshots in the air as was the only way they could protect themselves from imminent attack by Fulani Herdsmen. He also saw some cattle escape and run past the back of the airport. Some families were spotted coming into the Airport at the break of dawn which made the remaining people in the Airport, Femi inclusive to run for their lives. However, Femi found out that they were families trying to migrate.
“They took a shortcut through the airport to migrate to other persons. One person told me that people were trooping and we needed to go.” That was the way Femi was able to escape from IPAN Airport at 8am and got to the roundabout close to Bokkos to travel. Femi said a call came from the Local Government Inspector to direct all corpers to assemble at Mangu Camp, and he was brought to Town in a military van that safely ferried him to Jos North Local Government. All corps members were then told to assemble at secretariat while others were sent to home and others stayed in Jos.
Road blocks and more sightings at Miango and Bukuru
The crisis has continued to occur on the city outskirts as the roads leading into the town from Maraba Junction has been blocked. Talking to our correspondent, a Redeemed Pastor who was scheduled to travel this Wednesday morning, June 27th said he couldn’t as most people have been attacked on the roads to Abuja. He told our correspondent that retaliation was expected as several Christian Villages mistaking Muslims to be Fulani Herdsmen have a habit of stopping cars, dividing them into Muslims and Christians and killing the Muslims alone after letting the Christians on their way.
“I had to schedule my meeting. So far deaths have been recorded on Bauchi road where I lost some friends to the same stop, search and kill massacre by agitated Christians maiming innocent Muslims on the Abuja road axis.” He urged safety first as the better solution to the crisis and warned residents and corps members not to travel anywhere for the time being. “Travelling now could be very bloody,” he stated. At an event on Monday, a lady also mentioned escaping the Fulani Herders crisis by a hair’s breath. “I and my husband narrowly missed them,” She said. For people residing in Bukuru, they have reported several nodes of unrest as people have resulted to keeping indoors, suspecting the gunshots exchanged as a battle between security agencies and Fulani Herders.
At Abattoir
At Abattoir, most residents couldn’t sleep as most communities stayed up watch with the help of the age grade and youth forums. The youths continued to keep watch as they closely inspected their border with the Muslims to prevent attacks from Dogan Karfe and other minority Muslims settlements in the areas. From the midnight of 26th June 2018 till June 27th, today, everyone were up guard till 4am with clubs and daggers in anticipation of what next would happen. Even though the Muslim community agreed to peace talks, saying there were keeping watch as well; there were suspicious movements of three scouts on the mountain close to Bilgalde High School.
Communities to stay up watch
Communities in Jos, Plateau have agreed to stay up watch, The Pastor of a Redeemed Church on a visit to Abattoir affirmed this. “Every area now has some vigilante and a night watch. In fact some attacks have occurred in town between last night and today” He urged everyone to cooperate and watch alongside to avoid inter-tribal clashes, after visiting one Corpers’ lodge today.
By Joseph Olaoluwa
In response to the escalating security challenges plaguing Nigeria, no fewer than 16 state governors have thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police forces.
This development was disclosed by the National Economic Council (NEC) during its 140th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, which took place virtually on Thursday.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, revealed that out of the 36 states, 20 governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were yet to submit their positions on the matter, though he did not specify which states were among them.
The governors advocating for state police also pushed for a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Constitution to accommodate this crucial reform. Their move underscores the urgency and gravity of the security situation across the nation.
Similarly, the NEC received an abridged report from the ad-hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control. This committee, headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, highlighted the areas of oil leakages within the industry and identified instances of infractions.
Governor Uzodinma’s committee stressed the imperative of political will to drive the necessary changes and reforms needed to combat crude oil theft effectively.
Renowned academician, Professor Augustine Okereke, from the Medgar Evers College/City University of New York, has emphasised the detrimental impact of a lack of strong social institutions on Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Presenting a lead paper at the First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference hosted by the University of Ibadan, Professor Okereke urged President Bola Tinubu to foster robust institutions capable of combatting corruption and addressing social ills.
“All our institutions are on the decline,” warned Professor Okereke, underscoring the urgent need for effective structures to facilitate sustainable development. He highlighted the challenges faced by African countries, emphasising the risk of continued poverty, underemployment, and injustice without these foundational structures.
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, asserted the university’s commitment to providing intellectual, context-specific solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
He called on state and federal governments to patronise researchers in the country, emphasising the faculty’s reputation for producing intellectual leaders.
Professor Nwokocha stated, “Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages.” He emphasised the significance of the conference’s theme in aiding Nigeria’s navigation through its complex existential reality marked by despair, rising inflation, insecurity, corruption, and unemployment.
During the conference’s opening, Vice Chancellor Professor Kayode Adebowale noted the relevance of the theme, “Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues, and the Actualization of Sustainable Development,” urging participants to generate transformative ideas for Nigeria.
Acknowledging the nation’s progress over 63 years, he expressed concern over setbacks in the economy and social indices, hoping the conference would proffer solutions.
In his keynote address, Professor Lai Erinosho stressed the rapid worldwide social change in the digital age, citing both benefits and unanticipated consequences for human survival. He cautioned against embracing same-sex relationships, citing dangerous implications for humanity.
The First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference convened a diverse array of participants to explore solutions and intellectual leadership in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
As the country grapples with economic challenges, the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in the inflation rate to 28.92%, according to the December 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on a Monday afternoon.
The CPI, tracking the fluctuation in prices of goods and services, illustrates a notable increase from the previous month’s 28.20%, underscoring the pressing concerns surrounding the nation’s economic stability.
In a recent report, the Statistics Office revealed a notable uptick in the headline inflation rate for December 2023, marking a 0.72 percentage point increase from the previous month’s figure in November 2023.
On a year-on-year basis, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlighted a significant surge, with the December 2023 rate standing at 7.58 percentage points higher compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
December 2022 witnessed an inflation rate of 21.34 percent, underscoring the economic dynamics at play.
“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in December 2023 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2022),” NBS said.
In a further revelation, the bureau disclosed that the month-on-month headline inflation rate for December 2023 experienced a 2.29 percent surge, surpassing November 2023 by 0.20 percent. This indicates a swifter rise in the average price level compared to the preceding month.
The report highlighted a concerning acceleration in food inflation, reaching 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis for December 2023. This marked a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from December 2022’s rate of 23.75 percent. The data underscores the persistent upward trend in food prices, a trend exacerbated by various government policies, including the removal of subsidies on petrol.
Notably, in July 2023, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on food insecurity to address the escalating food prices. Taking decisive action, the President mandated that issues related to food and water availability and affordability fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Council, recognising these as essential livelihood items in need of urgent attention.
In Monday’s inflation report, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) detailed the key contributors to the year-on-year increase in the headline index. The leading factors include food & non-alcoholic beverages at 14.98 percent, housing water, electricity, gas & other fuel at 4.84 percent, clothing & footwear at 2.21 percent, and transport at 1.88 percent.
Additional contributors encompass furnishings & household equipment & maintenance (1.45 percent), education (1.14 percent), health (0.87 percent), miscellaneous goods & services (0.48 percent), restaurant & hotels (0.35 percent), alcoholic beverages, tobacco & kola (0.31 percent), recreation & culture (0.20 percent), and communication (0.20 percent).
The report highlighted a substantial 24.66 percent change in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month period. This represents a significant 5.81 percent increase compared to the 18.85 percent recorded in December 2022, indicating ongoing inflationary pressures in the economy.
Food Inflation
In a concerning trend, the food inflation rate for December 2023 surged to 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis, marking a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from the same period in 2022, when the rate stood at 23.75 percent.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed this rise in food inflation to notable increases in the prices of various essential items. Key contributors include bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, fish, meat, fruit, milk, cheese, and eggs.
These price hikes collectively contributed to the intensified strain on consumers, highlighting the complex dynamics driving the upward trajectory of food prices.
“On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in December 2023 was 2.72 percent, this was 0.30 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in November 2023 (2.42 percent),” it said.
Clarifying the dynamics behind the recent uptick, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) explained that the month-on-month increase in food inflation for December 2023 was spurred by a heightened rate of escalation in the average prices of oil and fat, meat, bread, and cereals, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, as well as fish and dairy products like milk, cheese, and eggs.
“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month average was 27.96 percent, which was a 7.02 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in December 2022 (20.94 percent),” the report added.
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