HERDSMEN ATTACK IN WUKARI LGA, COMMUNITY CRIES OUT FOR HELP
By our Reporter
A community leader from Sevav, Barrister Jime Yongo, has made a desperate call to the Taraba State Government, to activate its security apparatus and save his community from been obliterated by the Fulani herdsmen militia.
Barrister Jime Yongo stated this in an audience with newsmen in Jalingo, Taraba State capital.
Barr Jime’s Sevav, is a Tiv farming community, located in Chinkai Chiefdom, Kente Ward of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Jime Yongo was speaking at the instance of the recent hacking to death of some his community members by gun men identified as Fulani herdsmen. The incident, he stated, took place on 1st of April, when Tamen Iorchir, his wife, Inginbee Tamen and Ishe Nyinya were shot by some gum wielding Fulani herdsmen, while the victims were on their farm.
Tamen Iorchir, receiving treatment at FUT Hospital, Wukari
He painted a gory side of the incident, where he stated that, after shooting their victims, the attackers dumped their remains in a well, shot sporadically inside the well and also dumped some big stones and trunk of woods inside. He also narrated how in a twist of fate, Tamen Iorchir was able to come out from the well, in spite of the severe gun shots injuries and survived to tell the story of what happened.
During the media interface, Jime displayed an official complaint that the community submitted to the Divisional Police Officer, Wukari LGA, Taraba State, in respect of the incident. The document was entitled: Complaint of Criminal Conspiracy, Causing Grievous Hurt and Culpable Homicide Against Alhaji Haruna and Alhaji Kachalla and Their Children, Buba Haruna, Nyako Haruna, etc and was signed by one Zaki Johathan Sameaya, through the Village Head of Mbawar.
The complaint, which was made available to news men, including Worldview Magazine, alleged in part that, Tamen Iorchir, who survived the attack, despite grievous gunshot injuries, identified the attackers as Fulani herdsmen from Rugan Alhaji Haruna and Rugan Alhaji Kachalla, who have laid siege on the community for some time.
Barrister Jime gave more insight on the incident.
“The soldiers that are stationed in Kente encouraged our people to go back after several peace building initiatives. It’s on this basis that one of the families, the family of Tamen, in Sevav, near Chinkai, in Chinkai Chiefdom, returned and they were working on their farm, just behind their home when these people came and attacked them. They shot them, tied their hands and dumped them in the well of their compound. It was a miracle that one of them, Tamen Iorchir, came out from the well and survived. They also took away his motorcycle and a handset and left. He was later rescued by the soldiers stationed in Kente, where he is presently receiving treatment at the Teaching Hospital, Federal University Wukari.” He stated.
According to Barrister Jime Yongo, a Jalingo based legal practitioner, Sevav community, has been under the siege of Fulani herdsmen since 2014. He asserted that all efforts for safe return of his people are being frustrated by these herdsmen, who came from nowhere and occupied their land.
“For several times, arrangements have been made by security agencies and Wukari LGC for our displaced people to return to their home and continue with their normal livelihood. Unfortunately, it has become a routine that anytime that the crops are ready for harvest, the same group of herdsmen will attack again, displace our people, kill them as many as they can, loot the crops and destroy the farm lands, using their cows. This has been re-occurring since 2014.”
He lamented.
Barrister Jime stated that the lingering nature of this development has put the people in state of acute frustration, trauma, emotional stress and even untimely deaths.
“Imagine that you were living a normal life like other people, suddenly, someone came, chased you away and occupied your pace. The most worrisome angle of the whole scenario is that, with the way things are still going, the hope for our people coming back is not yet in sight.
“If this situation is not resolved, if the activities of these herdsmen are not curtailed, Sevav community will be obliterated. One day, we would wake up to discover that Sevav Community in Wukari Local Area of Taraba State, no longer exist. That is the intention of these herdsmen.
“That is why we are crying out loud, with our State Government, under the able leadership of His Excellency Agbu Kefas, to activate the state security apparatus and rescue us from the jaws of our enemy; else we would be extinct as a people in the State.” He Said.
Barrister Jime also spoke on how several peace efforts and arrests of perpetrators have failed to address the peace needs of the area.
“Incidentally, we know some of these Fulani herdsmen who are notorious for these activities. We have reported them severally to security agencies. Unfortunately, each time we report against them, they would be arrested, but before you know what is happening, they would be released.
“From there, we would be convinced that the basis is for us to live in peace with one another, for the common good of our community, the Local Government in particular and the State in general. And since our primary purpose is for us to have an enabling environment, where our people would live in peace thereafter, and since our objective is not to fight anybody, we would bury the hatchet and continue, only to be attacked again, when our crops are ready for harvest.”
He lamented.
This time, Barrister Jime is pleading with security agencies, especially the Commissioner of Police, Taraba State, to ensure that the killers in the recent incident in Sevav community are not only arrested, but are also made to face the full wrath of the law. This he said, would serve as deterrence to those who are taking the law for granted and experimenting with lives of humans as if it were that of Guinea Pigs.
When contacted, the Executive Chairman of Wukari LGC, Honourable Dauda Ismaila said security agencies are working in synergy with the Local Government Authority, so as to get into the roots of the ugly incident in Sevav community, not only to bring the perpetrators to book, but also to ensure that such an incident do not occur again.
“We always advise our people to live in peace with one another. That is the virtue that the Governor Agbu Kefas administration represents. I’m calling all the people in Wukari Local Government to always adopt legal and appropriate means in addressing their grievances. That is the spirit of the present government. And I enjoined everybody in the local government to be law abiding.” He said.
