THE youth conglomerate of Berom Youths Moulder-Association (BYM), Forum of Bokkos Development Association and Mwaghavul Youth Movement, have raised eyebrows over the inexplicable arrest of innocent natives attacked by bandits while on self-defence.
The group also questioned the attitudes of some security personnel toward them especially, when such unfortunate attacks happened. They said the attackers were left treading proudly and freely on hills without arrest.
The youth groups expressed their grievances, recently at a press conference organised by BYM, FBDA and MYM in Jos, the state capital. This was in response to the press release credited to the Coalition of Fulani Groups in Plateau State who popped up allegations against Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs
Reading the text at the briefing on behalf of the groups, the President of Berom Youthd Moulders-Association, Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, said “Our attention has been drawn to a press release credited to the Coalition of Fulani Groups in Plateau State.
“The release has a wide range of claims and allegations made against the people of Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas as well as the Government of Plateau State. The release was concocted, illogical and fictitious on January 7 and was just an attempt to cover, confuse, misdirect and downplay the heinous crimes committed by their bandits.
“Sometimes when the communities arise to tackle some of these issues, the security agencies will not allow them to use their local means to protect themselves and when arrests are made, the Fulani who attack our people, go away to the hills and it is the natives who have homes, that are arrested.
“This is because the Fulani do not have homes and when the security operatives come around, they run to the hills and the natives are carried away as the criminals or attackers. All we are saying is, care should be taken when making arrests because sometimes, it is the Innocent people that are arrested”, he observed.
Mwantiri, therefore, prayed that government should halt Fulani militants from raiding their hamlets and villages, killing people and displacing them, as well as disrupting livelihoods. He pointed out that, “The sponsors and network within and outside Nigeria should be busted while the perpetrators’ local accomplices be brought to justice.
He, however, disclosed that over 39 villages of Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs were attacked on Christmas-Eve with Barkin-Ladi having 19 killed, 6 injured, 2851 displaced and other valuables destroyed; Bokkos: 187 killed, over 100 injured, over 15,231 displaced from 31 villages and Mangu: 52 killed, over 1900 displaced from 4 villages completely overrun in that order.
