The Plateau State Chapter of the National Association of women Journalists has recently donated items and extended a show of love to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s), affected by the recent killings in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Just recently too, as a result of the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the killings, Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu had visited the state to donate a N500 Million Naira Cheque to cushion the effect of the sufferings of the IDP’s.
NAWOJ members, led by the State Chairperson, Mrs. Nene Dung, conveyed the Association’s support to the Paramount Ruler of Mangu, the Mishkaham Mwaghavul, Da Putmang Hirse at the Millennium International Centre on Saturday 30th September 2023. Among items donated for the IDP’s was clothing and cooking utensils.
The female journalists were received by the paramount ruler, in company of Executive Officials of the Muaghavul Development Association (MDA), and the Special Adviser to the Plateau State Governor on Gender/ Chairperson Implementation Committee of Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, Barr. Mrs. Olivia Dazyam, and the Chairman Mwaghavul Support Committee, Musa Pwul.
Speaking at the forum, NAWOJ Chairperson said the humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict and plight of the IDP’s has become of great concern to right thinking Nigerians, which has spurred the visit.
She lamented the continuous killings of innocent people, including vulnerable women and children who have been displaced from their ancestral homes, and are finding shelter in the temporary camps.
Dung equally condemned the attacks saying God has placed every tribe and nationality in a place to dwell in, which is called their ancestral home or place of origin which must be cherished and respected by all.
She added that NAWOJ is a voice for the voiceless in the society, and will not stop attracting the needed intervention for the vulnerable, calling on security agencies to arrest perpetrators of the reoccurring attacks and save the lives and properties of citizens as soon as possible.
“What has happened has really touched us, in every crisis, you notice that women and children are worst hit, and they become widows, to the point that you begin to ask what is really happening”
“As women, we feel the pain of our fellow women who have lost their comfort, peace of mind, family communal life and the reunion they have with their husband’s and children, including the opportunity to sleep in peace. They have also lost how to make ends meet. A lot of women affected by the attacks did not come out with anything as their houses was burnt and that means living their lives anew but that can be very difficult, to start all over again”
“That is why as women, we thought of bringing clothing and cooking utensils like pots and flasks so that if a family affected gets where to resettle, they can start life again with the items. We believe we are not only to report what is happening in our news stories, but by this gesture, presenting the items to the women will help them get succor from their pain.
The NAWOJ Chair called on parents and stakeholders to give extra attention to young girls and children in the IDP camps, who can easy fall prey to different atrocities like rape, teen pregnancies, or trafficking. ” Support them to survive from these atrocities” she tasked the IDP stakeholders.
After receiving the items, The Miskhagam Mwaghavul, appreciated the kind gesture, and practical display of love by the Association to his subjects.
He used the forum to call for intensified efforts to resettle IDP’s who have been displaced as a result of the attacks on communities in his Local Government, Mangu.
He recounted with displeasure the negative impact the attack has left to his people, among which is lost of lives and properties, as well as non cultivation of the vast farmland in many communities, which will cause food shortages and scarcity.
The traditional ruler said “My people are stranded, they have no clothes or food to eat, they are living or squatting in temporary shelters, and I pray this comes to pass, so that people will go back to their ancestral homes”
“I pray for peace to return to the state, it is not only Muaghavul land that is being attacked. One side is always attacked and anytime we try to defend ourselves, they say two people are fighting, but it is not so. We have to defend ourselves when we sleep and somebody comes to kill us. We want the world to know the truth, that this is not people fighting. We are always being attacked”, he disclosed.
He tasked Plateau journalists to step up in their reportage and project the true Plateau story, and the ills happening in his domain, adding that various peace talks and meetings turns futile as the perpetrators of the killings come to attack his people while they are sleeping at night.
While commending the combined efforts of government, security agencies and community leaders in restoring calm, the Miskhagam Mwaghavul urged Plateau State citizens to be united in projecting the interest of the state for meaningful development.
The Special Adviser to Plateau State governor on Gender and Chairperson Implementation Committee of Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, Barr. Olivia Dazyam.
Dazyam appreciated the show of love displayed by NAWOJeans to the people of Mangu Local Government.
She praised the female journalists for their passion and zeal in reporting gender issues especially vulnerability of women and children.
On his part, MDA President, Mr. Joseph Gwamkat, while speaking expressed concern on how the crisis has greatly affected people of Muaghavul land and stressed that when there is crisis, women suffer the most.
“Where there is crisis, more women suffer than, men are killed, widows are made, women are vulnerable and suffer all sorts of things. In this attacks, many women have been rendered widows, children rendered orphans” he said.
“We are very careful with the welfare of our people, many organisations are coming with the request to pick the orphans but we want proper documentation so that we know and track where the children are going. Therefore we have gone to the state Ministry of Women Affairs to make sure a proper documentation of the orphans is done if not before you realise it, incidences of human trafficking will begin to occur at the camps” Gwamkat added.
He disclosed further that many houses and farmlands have been massively destroyed beyond imagination with so many people killed or missing, praying that his people will come out of the humanitarian crisis confronting them.
“So many people have been killed, those we have buried are getting to 300, not to talk of over 100 persons that are missing, with many other people displaced. The humanitarian crisis is very huge and we pray that with God our side, we will get out it”
