By Fatima Muhammad –
Fulani herders in Plateau State have lamented the continuous killing and rustling of their members and cattle in some parts of the state.
The herders, under the aegis of Coalition of Fulani Registered Organisations, CFRO, made the lamentation on Friday in a statement co-signed by the CFRO Chairman and Secretary, Garba Abdullahi Muhammad and Adam Yakubu respectively.
According to the herders, in recent times, two of their members were killed, while 339 of their cattle worth N169,500,000 were rustled in Mangu and Bokkos local government areas of the state.
“The coalition of Fulani Registered Organisations on the Plateau condemn the recent attack and killing of 2 innocent Fulani herders and rustling of 339 cows valued on the average at One Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N169,500,000) by Maghuvwul and Ron militia in Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas of Plateau State,” they said.
According to the coalition, on Monday the 11th of March, 2024, 93 cows were rustled in Faranti in Bokkos LGA and taken to Kulben in Mangu LGA.
“The cows belong to Alh. Isma’ila Abdullahi. On Sunday, 17th March, 2024 73 cows were rustled in Angwan Abuja in Bokkos LGA belonging to Alh Muhammad Yusuf and were taken to the same Kulben in Mangu LGA,” they lamented.
The coalition added that on Friday, 22nd March, 2024, 50 cows belonging to Alh Sa’idu Ibrahim, were rustled in Makada in Bokkos LGA and taken into Mangu LGA.
“On Sunday, 31st March, 2024, 123 cows were rustled at Humat in Bokkos LGA and were taken into Mangu LGA. The cows belong to Alh Abubakar Usman and Alh Hayatu Yusuf. The rustlings were perpetrated… in Mangu and Bokkos LGAs,” they said.
The herders also said on Tuesday, 28th March, 2024, a herder, Isa Abubakar, was killed in Kwamuru in Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area of plateau state, while on Saturday, 30th March, 2024, a herder, Naziri Muhammad, was also killed in Tangur in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau state.
“In the same vein, on the 27th of March, 2024 at Shrum in Barkin Ladi Local Government some yet-to-be-identified criminals attacked and killed a soldier in a mining site and gutted away with his rifle. As a result, the operatives of Sector 4 of OPSH at Barkin Ladi burned down Luggere Fulani community, destroying houses, cars and other valuables worth millions of naira in an attempt to retrieve their rifle,” they lamented.
The herders also said their women, children and elderly were displaced while some were arrested.
“On Monday, 30th March, 2024, 7 cows were killed and 70 others were arrested and confiscated by the commander sector 4 of OPSH and are still in his custody according to the owners.
“The coalition of Fulani registered organizations are in full support of fighting criminality on the Plateau and are ready to cooperate to achieve a judicial investigation and subsequent arrest and prosecution of offenders,” they said.
The herders, therefore, appealled to the federal and state governments, security and other agencies to asist them in recovering the rustled cows already deposited in Mangu general area for owners to identify and take back their cows.
“Security should provide protective measures to our people and source of livelihood against provocation, intimidation, isolated killings and maiming, and to ensure the safe return of our displaced people as the raining season is about to set in,” they appealed.
The herders further appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts in curtailing arms and drug dealing, provide protective mechanism to allow for a free access to grazing fields, water sides and cattle routes to their cattle and herders.
“Security should conduct a constructive approach in investigating criminality in the affected local government areas to avoid colossal damage as the one that happenned in Luggere, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area recently.
“We call on the security to check the indiscriminate arrest and illegal detention of our members by some security personnel,” they appealed.
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