No fewer than 35 persons including two policemen have been killed in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State early hours of yesterday following a clash between the Fulanis and the natives of Mangor and Matol villages. Information gathered by Daily Sun revealed that gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, had in collaboration with mercenaries from Niger Republic and Chad, invaded the two villages, which led to the death of about 18 persons including the policemen.
It was gathered that by the time the security forces would reach the villages, the victims had been killed and their corpses scattered in different locations. The natives however did not sit back to lick their wounds but had immediately mobilized and launched an attack on the homestead of the Fulanis, close to the Bokkos Fertilizer Plant where their houses were burnt and about 17 of them killed. The Secretary of the Miyetti Cattle Breeders Association,
Alhaji Nurra Abdullahi told journalists in Jos that six of the Fulanis were shot by men of the Special Task Force (STF). He alleged that the STF arrested them and took them to the Bokkos Police Station where they were shot. Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has assured Nigerians that the leadership of the country was doing everything possible to address the security challenges in the country; even as he appealed to all, including non-Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies.
It was also gathered that in the exchange of bullets between the natives and the Fulanis, two security men were shot dead and two others wounded while trying to quell the upheaval. Daily Sun gathered that one of those wounded was shot on the arm and the other on the leg and that the two were receiving treatment at Barakin Ladi Hospital.
Bokkos Local Government Area, which had the largest settlements of the Fulanis in the state had before now recorded minimal clashes between the two groups. As at the time of filing this report, news were still filtering into Jos that fighting was still going on even though security agencies were claiming that the situation had been brought under control.
The spokesman of the Special Task Force, Lt. Navy Jude Akpa, who confirmed the development, said two policemen attached to the command were killed in the incident, adding that STF men also shot dead six of the attackers. Speaking to journalists shortly after paying a condolence visit to the member Representing Barakin ladi /Riyom Federal Constituency, Simon Mwadkom who lost his son recently, the speaker said:
“Leaders of this country have not been quiet about what is happening on the Plateau, Maiduguri, Yobe and Kano. “We are doing everything possible to ensure that these challenges are addressed.” Security challenges cannot be easily addressed especially with the way and manner the insurgencies are spreading in the country.
Government is doing all it could to bring an end to it.” Commenting on the issue of granting of amnesty to Boko Haram group, the speaker said: “IIf there is any model that can bring peace in the country, if we are sure it can bring peace, let us go for it. Tambuwal had earlier appealed to people of Plateau and Nigerians in general to embrace peace, stressing that it was necessary to have peace for development to take place.
While agreeing with the speaker on the need for peace, Simon Mwadkom suggested that the House must impress it on the executive arm that the insecurity in the country must come to an end, saying it was a dent on the image of the country.
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