As the people of Kwi village in Riyom local government area of Plateau state continue to mourn the killing of Mr. and Mrs. Rwang Danladi, a teacher at BECO Comprehensive School, Kwi by Armed Fulani herdsmen on Monday, August 14, 2023, The Berom Youth Moulder Association (BYM) has called for a ban on open grazing in the state.
In an exclusive chat with Steven Kefas on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, the Leader of the group, Barrister Solomon Dalyop decried the forceful occupation of lands by armed Fulani herdsmen in the state. Dalyop stated that as of December 2022, about 102 villages have been forcefully taken over by armed herdsmen, forcing the original owners to flee to makeshift IDP camps.
Women at the Riyom IDP Camps
Reacting to the killing of Mr. and Mrs. Rwang Danladi in Kwi village by those he described as “Known herdsmen”, Dalyop described the attack as unfortunate, ‘well planned and organized’. He said the herdsmen went into the gated school to graze in violation of subsisting order against grazing on farmlands in the state.
“At about 3 pm on Monday, some teachers of BECO (Berom Educational and Cultural Organization) Comprehensive School had gone to compile results of students to be issued on Friday, August 18.
“While the teachers were working in their offices, some known from Fass, a neighboring community about a kilometer from Kwi brought their cattle into the school compound to graze. The school is fenced and gated so it wasn’t the case of cattle straying into an open space, it was deliberate.
“When the teachers came out to confront them in a peaceful manner by asking them to take their cattle out of the school compound, they brought out arms and shot at the teachers, killing Mr. Rwang Danladi and his wife while the Vice Principal of the school, Emmanuel Ibrahim was injured.” He said.
Plateau state has been in the news albeit for a negative reason in recent times due to incessant attacks on farming communities by terrorists victims have repeatedly described as Fulani herdsmen militias.
In the last four months over 300 people have been killed and thousands displaced according to data released by The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation.
The claim by the BYM of forceful occupation of communities belonging to the natives in Riyom and other parts of the state is an angle the state government must look into with immediate alacrity and get the natives returned to their original communities if peace is to return to the Plateau anytime soon.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has reiterated the need for the strengthening of cooperation with the Armed Forces to guarantee a peaceful environment for citizens of the state.
The governor made the call Monday during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher G. Musa, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
A press release signed by Group Captain O. O. Ademosu in the office of the Director of Defence Information noted that the governor lamented the wave of insecurity in the state and solicited more partnerships to defeat insecurity bedeviling the area.
The release quoted the governor saying that with the largest land mass in Nigeria and surrounded by a lot of ungoverned spaces, the situation in Niger State called for security concerns.
Gov Bago reminded Gen. Musa that the state’s proximity to Abuja, the Federal Capital City, was also a reason for increased insecurity which necessitated the need for stronger cooperation.
He congratulated the CDS on his well-deserved appointment and subsequent promotion by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The CDS acknowledged the support of the state government towards the military and assured the governor of the AFN’s readiness to put everything humanly possible to assist Niger State curb insecurity to attract meaningful development.
Gen. Musa stated that the AFN is fully aware of the situation on the ground, reassuring that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain strong, committed, and steadfast in the discharge of its constitutional mandate and ready to defeat the insurgency.
Internally Displaced Persons at the Riyom IDP camp in Riyom local government area of Plateau state have cried out to the government to assist them in reclaiming their communities under the occupation of Armed Fulani Herdsmen in the area.
The IDPs from different affected communities in Riyom made this call during a humanitarian intervention visit organised by The Gideon & Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation on Saturday August 12th 2023.
A cross section of the IDPs
Some of the IDPs who said they’ve been displaced from their communities since 2014 appealed to the government to help get them back to their communities so they could live a normal life again.
The displaced persons numbering over 2,000 said the herdsmen who attacked their communities are now the occupants of some lands in their communities. They said they cannot return back to their communities because the herdsmen have built houses there.
One of the IDPs who gave her name as Amina Yakubu (not real name) told this reporter that her community, Attakar under Ganawuri ward is now under the occupation of the Armed Fulani Herdsmen that attacked the area in April 2023.
“It all started in the fourth month of this year, when the Fulanis came to our community and killed 18 people.
“My husband, Yakubu and son Emmanuel were killed during the attack and since then we were forced to leave the community because the attackers never stopped coming.
“Right now I had to do menial jobs at the mining site to cater for myself and the remaining 3 children.” Teary Amina said.
A community leader, Saleh Bayana, also corroborated Amina’s claim. He said in his community, Shonwan under Bakki district, the herdsmen have also built their houses there.
“I used to be the Mai Angwa of my community but since 2014 when we were attacked and displaced, no one has been be able to go back there. The Fulani now live there with their cattle.
“They’ve built normal houses and are living there, we dare not go near there.” He said.
It is estimated, that about 60 villages have been occupied by the Fulani herdsmen in Riyom and neighboring local government areas of Plateau state.
This is not the first time victims of these attacks have alleged occupation of their farmlands and communities by herdsmen. In 2020, survivors of herdsmen attacks in communities in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna state alleged that their communities were occupied by the herdsmen that attacked the area.
Todays revelation by the IDPs gave a new understanding of the violence on the Plateau and other areas in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. It shows that the violence are not just clashes between farmers and herders as widely reported in some sections of the media but also a well calculated attempt to dispossess the indigenous people of their ancestral lands.
The Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation is a household name in Plateau and neighbouring states affected by violence. Speaking at the occasion, an Associate Staff of the Peace Foundation, Nenfort Gonchen, who addressed the IDPs said that they are not alone, stressing the fact that God is with them and that the world is with them.
“We are here today not just to present these relief materials to you but to also tell you that you are not alone in your hour of adversity. God is with you, the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation is with you and the world is with you.
“We bring you a message of hope from Jos and we want to encourage you to remain steadfast and prayerful as we continue to trust God that you all would soon return to your respective communities.” Nenfort said.
The items delivered to the IDPs include 35 blankets, 4 bags of garri(90kg) 3 bags each of rice, beans and maize (90kg).
Batin and Yogot communities in Heipang district, Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau state are currently in a state of mourning following Thursday’s night invasion of their communities by terrorists.
This newspaper gathered that no fewer than 21 persons including women and children were brutally murdered by the terrorists suspected to be Fulani militias.
According to an eyewitness who gave his name as Obed, the attackers came into Batin community at 1:10am on Thursday, shooting sporadically as the villagers scamper for safety.
“My house is very close to the houses that were affected. We heard the first gun shots at exactly 10 minutes past one.
“They short sporadically and killed 17 people here in Batin. They burnt some of the victims to death.
“When they were retreating, they stopped at Yogot, another community not far from the Airport and killed 4 persons.
We are currently digging the grave to bury the victims” He said.
This attack is coming at the heels of countless similar attacks in Mangu where over 300 persons have been killed between April and July 2023 according to data released by the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation.
In July, the Nigerian Army moved its operational base for Operation Safe Haven to Mangu in a bid to put an end to the attacks in the area. That effort indeed reduced the frequency of attacks in Mangu.
As Nigeria grapples with the specter of its security challenges, the appointment of Christopher Gwabin Musa, an Atyap man, as the Chief of Defense staff has sparked a maelstrom of criticism. The outcry, primarily from Northern clerics and politically motivated instigators, exposes the deep-seated ethnic and religious fissures within the nation. This article explores these tensions, the political maneuverings around them, and their implications for the nation’s security.
Since the ascension of Christopher Musa, an Atyap, to the mantle of Chief of Defense staff in Nigeria, a veritable Pandora’s Box of controversy has been unlatched. A chorus of Northern clerics, spurred on by Machiavellian politicians seeking to portray themselves as the guardians of Islam, have been vocal in their dissent. In a sweeping act of political grandstanding, they targeted the Atyap Development Association in their twilight hours of power.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, like Odysseus navigating the tumultuous seas, sincerely seeks to shore up the security of his nation. Appointments like Musa’s are born out of merit and necessity, a lesson learned from the previous regime’s missteps, which led to a veritable Trojan Horse situation with Muslims monopolizing all strategic security positions, resulting in the country’s descent into its darkest period of insecurity. President Tinubu’s move may be more of a strategic maneuver than a show of favoritism towards Christians. In matters of national security, religious and ethnic affiliations should be relegated to the background.
Yet, these clerics, like sirens calling out to a ship, are desperate to discredit and possibly pressure President Tinubu into retracting the appointment. They have propagated the unfounded claim that Musa, who has merely been in position for two months, is planning a purge of Hausas, beginning in Zaria. Their references to the 1992 Zangon Kataf crisis, a dark chapter in Kaduna State’s history, are one-sided and exclude the instigations that sparked the conflict. They demand the execution of General Zamani Lekwot, rekindling old tensions and risking the resurgence of conflict.
Amidst the realm of political discourse, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cautionary words, foretelling the potential for ECOWAS’ martial intervention against the coupists in Niger, suffered a lamentable misinterpretation. Like whispers carried by the winds of ancient myths, some insinuated that the astute military chief, donning the mantle of ECOWAS grand commander, harbored a cunning stratagem to set ablaze the passions of conflict, starting with the noble Hausa populace ensconced in Zaria’s storied embrace. This misconception, akin to the tragic tales of old, took root in the intertwined narratives of Niger and Northern Nigeria, where any hostile act towards Niger was viewed as a direct assault upon the very essence of Northern Nigeria, igniting a chorus of collective anguish and invoking the echoes of an enduring bond.
The clerics’ selective amnesia extends to the security challenges faced under the Buhari administration. They conveniently overlook the rampant kidnappings and killings unless someone from a non-Muslim background assumes a position of authority. They remain silent on the violence, abductions, forced marriages committed by Fulani individuals against their fellow Hausas. Their selective outrage and consciousness paint a puzzling picture.
The discord surrounding Musa’s appointment is symptomatic of the complex interplay of religion, ethnicity, and politics in Nigeria’s security landscape. These complications, if left unchecked, could further destabilize the already tenuous security situation. It is therefore crucial for the government and its citizens to rise above the divisive rhetoric and work towards a harmonious and secure Nigeria.
About the Author
Ashineko Ayinya is a writer, researcher, and mathematician from Southern Kaduna. In 2018, he faced persecution from the government led by El-Rufai and narrowly escaped with his life. As a result, he is currently an internally displaced person. He sustains himself amidst the economic challenges in the country through his professional writing.
Footnotes:
Christopher Gwabin Musa: General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, an Atyap man, (born 25 December 1967) is a Nigerian Army general who is the 18th Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria. He was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on 19 June 2023.
Zangon Kataf Crisis: The Zangon Kataf Crisis refers to a violent ethnic conflict that occurred in Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State, Nigeria, in the early 1990s. The conflict involved clashes between the Kataf ethnic group and the Hausa-Fulani Muslim settlers, driven by issues of land ownership, political representation, and religious tensions. The crisis resulted in casualties, property destruction, and mass displacement. Major General Zamani Lekwot, a key figure in the Nigerian Army, was implicated in the crisis and faced legal consequences, highlighting the complexity of managing communal tensions and the need for effective conflict resolution strategies.
Zamani Lekwot: Zamani Lekwot (1947-date), an Atyap man, was a Nigerian military officer known for his role in peacekeeping operations, particularly during the ECOMOG intervention in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He rose to the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army and served as the Force Commander of the Nigerian contingent in ECOMOG. However, Lekwot’s career was marred by controversy when he was implicated in the Zangon Kataf communal clashes in Nigeria and sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment. Despite the controversies surrounding him, Lekwot’s contributions to peacekeeping efforts and his complex legacy remain significant.
The delicate dance of politics in Nigeria unravels yet another layer as objections are raised against El-Rufai’s nomination, bringing to light the importance of Senator Sunny Masha Katung’s choices in the red chambers. This narrative draws from the biblical tale of David and Goliath, jostling between the commendable efforts of the underdog and the looming shadow of a once-powerful king. Could this be the acid test against the senator?
While the criticisms levied against El-Rufai’s nomination hold water, it behooves us to also respect the discretionary judgement of Senator Sunny Masha Katung in choosing his battles, akin to Odysseus navigating the treacherous waters of Scylla and Charybdis. The laudable work of House of Justice with Gloria Ballason, wielding her pen as a sword in her writings against the former governor, echoes the biblical story of Judith and Holofernes, an enduring testament to the power of truth and justice. Similarly, the Herculean efforts put forth by the student group are deserving of praise.
Furthermore, in line with Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to diversity, reminiscent of the harmonious symphony of the Corinthian Body, the ministerial appointment ideally should be bequeathed to a representative from Southern Kaduna.
Nonetheless, let us not forget to grant Senator Katung his proverbial ‘Pound of Flesh’. If he is deemed trustworthy enough to bear the mantle of his position, his judgement should surely be held in the same regard. As a senator, he likely possesses a trove of information beyond the reach of the general populace, especially concerning matters of such political weight. His decisions, therefore, should be perceived as informed ones.
This standpoint does not undermine the voice of the public or trivialize the significance of expressing discontent against the senator where necessary – it would at least lend him an ear to the ground. But, let us also acknowledge the Senator’s capability to steer the ship of politics as he deems fit. It is my belief that he carries the interests of his people within his heart, albeit his approach may be more of restitution than seeking retribution.
It is high time we rise, like the phoenix from the ashes, above the malevolence perpetrated by El-Rufai. By transcending the negativity of El-Rufai’s past deeds, we can focus our collective energy on areas where it truly matters.
We must conserve our strength for building and healing our communities, rather than expending it on the ghost of El-Rufai’s misdeeds. Just as the sun eventually rises, illuminating the darkest corners of the night, so too must we look forward to a brighter future, guided by the wisdom and discretion of our chosen leaders.
About the Author Ashineko Ayinya is a writer, a researcher and a mathematician of Southern Kaduna extraction who was persecuted by El-Rufai and narrowly excaped with his life in 2018. He is presently an internally displaced person and survives the current economic travails in the country through professional writing.
Over the course of the last three days, news of impending attacks by the Nigerian military on Niger have filled the airwaves. The coup which happened on the 27th of July, 2023, has had the world speaking especially considering the players who are involved. Think pieces and articles have been written opinions have been given on the situation. However, the real cause of the issue must be discussed for what they really are.
The interference from the French who have held on to them by the apron strings since the end of colonialism. Nigeriens consider the interference of France as imposing and exploitative as their fortunes have not improved despite their proximity to the French.
In videos showing the celebrations of citizens in the streets of Niger, they expressed similar sentiments on the presence of France has been detrimental to them, chanting phrases that indicate the dislike for France. The issue has been discussed and has hit the crescendo of concern with the Nigerian public which are largely concerned about a lot of things should this happen: the impending embarrassment that awaits the Nigerian army and its people in general as details show they have the support of the Russians; the doggedness of the new my sworn in President Bola Tinubu whose legitimacy is being challenged at the court with other contestants and the potential influx of unwanted migrants into the country particularly the Middle Belt. This concern is one that worries many from the region because in time past, numbers have been a major problem in determining power rotation and politics.
A potential migrants influx into the region does two things: heightens the conflicts that have bedevilled the region and give the upper hand to settlers of which the current settlers of Fulani descent share affinity with. In relation to the ousting of Bazoum, the Nigerian president who was deposed by the Nigerian military, the core north has shown its immense displeasure at the treatment of the man.
For a lot of core northerners in Northern Nigeria, sympathy is at an all time high for Nigeriens with whom they share ancestral affinity with. With an already porous border in the north, movement of migrants will occur unchallenged. Porous borders can mean access to unscrupulous migrants who can cause further harm, especially since Nigeria has fought against insurgency against Boko Haram and Fulani herders. With a very tumultuous history of fighting insurgents and a clear struggle to keep them at bay, this could result to full scale conflict of heightened proportions.
Migrants especially in a place like Nigeria cannot be kept out and as such will migrate down south which would require them going through the Middle Belt. What we will be dealing with essentially will be refuelled agitations of settlers in the Middle Belt as migrants with who they deem brothers, to secure political positions and challenge the place of natives.
This sympathy could become an Achilles Heel for natives who have hundred thousands of natives who have been displaced and settled elsewhere. Villages which have been razed down and lay empty, will then be reoccupied by these foreigners and a slow and gradual attempt at rewriting the history of the Middle Belt. This is a fight for existence and survival.
The Middle Belt should not ignore the impending dangers of the coup that intends to destroy what we have as a people, a region and most of all, an identity.
House of Justice, a Kaduna based multi-door justice house has protested the nomination of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad Elrufai, as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stating as basis for the protest, his abysmal human rights violations and mass atrocities record especially during his 8-year tenure as Governor of Kaduna state.
The Petition which was signed by Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq, the Chief Executive Officer and Advocacy Lead of the organization, cited among other reasons for objection, Elrufai’s admission of being an accessory to murder by paying killers, arbitrary demolition of properties of citizens and political opponents, sacking teachers and withholding their salaries, imprisonment of journalists and activists, and sacking of traditional rulers as well as the persecution of the Southern Kaduna people.
The Petition further noted that there was a pending verdict of Nigeria’s parliament that declared Elrufai as not fit and proper to occupy public office and that international reports such as the 2020 and 2023 British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) reports , dishonourably indicted the former Governor.
The Petition which had attached to it evidence of the allegations against the embattled former Governor, also noted that Elrufai has no respect for the Constitution, rule of law or the code of conduct for public officers and could only fit into a dictatorship and not a democracy.
The Petition was signed as received by the office of the Senate President in Abuja.
Recall that during the ministerial screening on the floor of the senate on Tuesday a senator from Kogi West senatorial District, Senator Sunday Karimi informed the senate that he is in possession of a petition against Elrufai over the issue of insecurity in Southern Kaduna.
Karimi said during the screening, “Mr. President, I have a petition written against the nominee over the issue of insecurity in Southern Kaduna when he was governor.
“If I am permitted, I will like to read the petition.”
Senator Karimi was never given the chance to read his petition.
Ironically, the three senators from Kaduna state including that of Kaduna Southern senatorial District where Elrufai is accused of human rights violations, and other related allegations all passed votes of confidence on the former governor.
Whether the senate will act on House of Justice’s petition it has acknowledged receipt of is left to be seen.
3. He made hundreds of thousands of people homeless by demolishing their homes without compensation and devoid of legal cause or court orders and continued the spree until his last days in office.
4. He destroyed the houses of those who held different opinions to his including persons in his own party and outside it. Sen. Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi’s home was demolished and turned into a park. Former Attorney General of Katsina, Alh. Inuwa Abdulkadir, died while waiting for justice for his house which was arbitrarily destroyed by Mallam Nasir Ahmad Elrufai.
5. He sacked thousands of teachers from their jobs and refused to pay teachers their salaries. Some teachers had it worse, they were killed while trying to undergo needless verification exercises he imposed.
6. Traditional Rulers were imprisoned or killed under his watch in questionable circumstances and he decapitated what remained of the traditional institution by proscribing chiefdoms, changing the identity of people and arbitrarily sacking traditional rulers.
7. The Nigeria Labour Congress, led by their national president tried to resolve the crises he had with Kaduna State workers but he turned the NLC’s intervention into a wrestling spree and unleashed security apparatus against them.
8. Journalists and activists who endeavored to report the rape of law and justice carried out by his government were arbitrarily arrested, persecuted and thrown into prisons.
11. The 2020 and 2023 British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Report, Nigeria Unfolding Genocide? Records that Nigeria is the global epicenter of violence against Christians and Mallam Nasir Ahmad Elrufai got a dishonorable mention in the reports.
Attached are evidence of the submissions in this petition. Mallam Nasir Ahmad Elrufai has no respect for the Constitution, rule of law or the code of conduct for public officers. Good performance and compliance with the rule of law are not mutually exclusive. Elrufai fits into a dictatorship where brute force is the hallmark of rulership but poses great danger to fundamental freedoms and the ideals of democracy.
Your Excellency and the Senate may wish to clerk in and reserve his performance to a government of brute force. Nigeria with a population of over 215 million people is not without more capable candidates who would deliver on the demands of ministerial office while upholding the Constitution please.
