‘Over 130 Plateau communities taken over, occupied by Fulani people’ – BYM

The National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth-Moulders Association, BYM, Rwang Tengwom, has revealed that recent stocktaking has shown that over 130 communities are being occupied by the Fulani.

He said this was contrary to claims by the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, that Fulani people are occupying no community in the state.

Tengwom, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Jos on Saturday, said most of the affected communities are largely in Berom lands in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South and parts of Bassa, Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas of the state.

He said since the Fulani bandits and Islamic extremists began unleashing violence and attacks on Plateau communities over two decades ago, they have embarked on a mission of sacking communities, killing the people and taking over their lands.

“What they do is that they will invade the communities with sophisticated weapons, kill the local people, and when the victims flee, a new set of people comes to occupy the communities.

“These new occupants are Fulani. Whenever they occupy a community, it becomes a no-go area for the original inhabitants. From our recent research, we have over 130 communities in Plateau State that they occupy.

“The other day, MACBAN released a statement that no community in Plateau is occupied by Fulani people. But that claim is pure lies. We have it on record, and we can take you to such communities to confirm,” Tengwom said.

Speaking on possible motives for the persistent attacks on rural communities attributed to Fulani terrorists, Tengwom stated that no known motive has been established for the attacks.

“There’s no motive or justification for any form of criminality. In most cases, we’ve never heard any reason why they come to attack.

“Rather, what we have witnessed over the years on the Plateau is that when they come, they kill, and people flee their communities. The next thing is that the people whom the government has always claimed to be behind these killings are described as unknown gunmen. So, there is no justification whatsoever,” he said.

He also knocked back insinuations that most of the attacks have been reprisal attacks as a result of the killing of herders and rustling of cattle by local militia gangs.

“We’ve had incidents where cooked-up stories are told. They will tell you that the attacks happened because their cattle were rustled.

“In Nigeria, if we know the law and agree that there is a law governing us, then if something is stolen, the law requires it to be reported to the police.

“But what we witness are criminals invading communities and killing people. There have also been cases where some Fulani claim that their cattle were rustled. But at the end of the day, you’ll find out that it was a fellow Fulani who rustled the cattle.

“You will find that there have also been cases where a Fulani person was killed, and allegations were made against natives.

“But at the end of the day, investigations still pointed out that it was fellow Fulani who killed their own kinsmen. Yet, when such happens, the next thing is that allegations are made against the natives,” he stated.