Youth Group Disagrees With Gov Committee’s Report On Plateau Crisis
A youth group in Plateau State, Voice of Plateau Youths, has faulted the report of the Special Fact-Finding Committee set up by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to investigate the remote causes of persistent attacks and killings in the state.
The committee had, in its report stated that farmer-herder clashes were part of the causes of the recurring violence in the state.
The Committee Chairman, Gen. Rogers Ibe Nicholas, while speaking at a special security conference organized by the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Plateau Security in Abuja, revealed that one of the major causes of the incessant and recurring violence in the state was farmer-herder clashes and reprisal attacks.
However, the youth group, in a statement released in Jos on Saturday, said it strongly disagreed with the committee’s report, especially as it had to do with the farmer-herder clashes.
Signed by its Interim President, Othniel Fwangle, and Interim Secretary General, Hannah Chollom, the group said the pattern of attacks often employed by Fulani militias always shows a “tendency for land grabbing, jihadist expansionism and possible genocidal traits”.
The group stated that after a careful study of the pattern of attacks in different communities, it has drawn the conclusion that the attacks are well-sponsored to exterminate natives who are mostly Christians, chase them away from their ancestral lands, take over the fertile lands, and establish their caliphate.
“We strongly disagree with the report of the Fact-Finding Committee, which was ably led by Gen. Rogers Nicholas, a former Commander of Operation Safe Haven in Plateau State,” the statement said.
“We must commend the Committee for the great job it did by engaging all concerned, but we dare say that though they may be right on other causes of the lingering crisis in Plateau State, farmer-herder clashes cannot be part of them.
“A careful study of the pattern of attacks over the past 20 years in different communities in Plateau by Fulani militias has shown that farmer-herder clashes are far from them.
“Our findings over the years have shown that the attackers are well sponsored and backed by a powerful clique whose aim is to take over our ancestral lands and establish their caliphate which we perceive to be a jihad expansionism venture.
“How would clashes between local farmers and herdsmen lead to the killing of thousands, including women and children, and the sacking of entire communities? And after they achieve their aims, they will take over the conquered communities, rename them, install their own rulers, and enforce their religion. So how do such acts amount to farmer-herder clashes?
“It is pure jihad and the authorities must scrutinize the committee’s report, act on the recommendations, but should take a more critical look at some of the causes of the violence being meted out on innocent residents of the communities.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
