‘Bandits bent on forcefully occupying our lands’ – Plateau community cries out
A community leader in Chakfem Chiefdom of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Da Simon Takbang, has raised an alarm over what he described as attempts by Fulani bandits to forcefully annex and take over their lands.
Takbang, who is the President of the Chakfem Youth Movement, made the cry at a press conference in Jos on Friday, citing an attack in his community on Monday, where he said the terrorists killed over 15 people and displaced more than 2,000 others who had to flee for their safety.
The community leader narrated how the heavily armed Fulani bandits numbering over 1,000, invaded several communities in the chiefdom, including Manden, Tim, Mhidihin, Jibin, Jiblang, Koppang, and Jilem, and fired indiscriminately at the sleeping residents, killing those who could not escape while also injuring several others.
He also disclosed that the invaders set houses and worship centers ablaze, destroyed properties worth millions of Naira, and stole their livestock and food from silos.
According to Takbang, some of the victims include a four-month-old girl named Yilshwal Godwin, an 80-year-old grandmother, Na Rifkatu Katde, Talatu Joel (53), Tapmwan Benard (29), and Messrs Danlami Kyenba (50), Maichibi Sonyen (81), Mr. Ishaku Yohana (26), and Joel Longpwen (62).
Takbang noted with dismay that the attacks on his community were not spontaneous, but well-planned, premeditated, and strategically executed with the sole agenda of dispossessing his people of their ancestral lands, rendering them homeless, hopeless, and altering the demographic structure of their homeland.
“While these activities of the disgruntled elements leave indelible scars in our hearts, we acknowledge the swift response from the Government in deploying security agencies to the affected areas, which helped in halting the attack.
“We also note the provision of relief materials to alleviate our pain. This proves to us that we are not abandoned,” he stated.
“We call on the government to deploy security personnel permanently in our communities and provide support for rebuilding our destroyed villages,” Takbang added.
The community leader called on the state and Federal Governments, as well as security agencies, to take immediate action to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“We wish to further appeal to the Federal and State Governments, through their security agencies, to station security personnel permanently in the communities of the two districts of the chiefdom.
“This is critical, as our terrain does not permit quick intervention during emergencies. There’s a need to hasten the road network in Chakfem to ease movements, and any help that might come our way from the security agencies in times like these,” he added.
‘Bandits bent on forcefully occupying our lands’ – Plateau community cries out
