PLATEAU BURIAL MASSACRE: Security agents blocked our only escape route

•Survivor-Rep alleges
•Jos streets deserted as residents observe curfew
•Senate, Reps adjourn in honour of Dantong

Written by Isaac Shobayo, Ayodele Adesanmi, Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel, with Agency Report Wednesday, 11 July 2012

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Barkin-Ladi and Riyom federal constituency of Plateau State, Honourable Simon Mwadkon, who narrowly escaped from Fulani herdmen’s attack during a funeral procession that led to the death of two lawmakers on Sunday, has alleged complicity in the way and manner the coordinated attack was carried out.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Jos, the federal lawmaker still recuperating from the attack, said events leading to the attack at Matse village and what happened during and after the attack clearly showed that there was a conspiracy between the terrorists and some security agents.

“Before the attack, a member of the STF asked us to relocate the ambulance we brought to the village on the premise that he wanted to bring in an armoured tank. We complied without wasting time, only for him to bring in [a] Hilux vehicle and used it to block the only access road leading to the village.

“The next thing we heard was a signal shot, which was later followed by the appearance of gunmen from the nearby hills. The entire military men within the vicinity took to their heels, leaving behind a policeman who piloted us. We could not escape because the only narrow road to the area had been blocked by the Hilux vehicle.

“While we were running, there was a gunshot that disorganised us and many of us fell down. The Majority Leader, Plateau State House of Assembly, Honourable Gyang Fulani and Senator Dantong were unconscious and were put in a separate van. But to my surprise, one hour after I got to the hospital, the two men who left before me had not arrived. When Honourable Fulani was brought, he died in my presence, while Dantong was brought in dead to the hospital. So, something is wrong somewhere,” he alleged.

He said that the cause of the incessant hostilities in his constituency could be attributed to the Fulani expansionist tendency that started with the Usman Dan Fodio jihad of 1804.

He said, “It has been the agenda of the Fulani since the jihad of Usman Dan Fodio, who proclaimed that for the whole North to be Islamised, all the northern minorities must be conquered. It has been the agenda since 1804, when the jihadists failed to capture the Middle Belt region, which they wanted to use as a launching pad to capture the South. It is their belief that once the northern minorities were captured, they would be willing tools for the capture of the South.

“Another reason is the quest for grazing reserves and that was why the House of Representatives killed the bill in grazing reserves because it has caused a lot of havoc in the country.

Mwadkon said that the Fulani could not lay claim to any village, as they did not have any, but were tenants who paid royalty to the people.

Meanwhile, the streets of Jos, the Plateau State capital remained deserted on Tuesday, as residents complied with the curfew imposed on the city by the state government since Saturday.

The curfew was announced by Governor Jonah Jang following a deteriorating security situation after the death of Senator Dantong (Plateau North) and Fulani, the Majority Leader of the Plateau State House of Assembly.

The duo, according to Major-General Henry Ayoola, Commander of the Special Task Force (STF), slumped and later died at the Barkin-Ladi General Hospital, when unknown gunmen attacked them at a burial ground.

Mwadkon, who also slumped, was however, revived at the hospital.

The curfew covers the four local government areas of Jos North, Jos South, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom.

NAN correspondents who visited some parts of the city and its environs reported that the streets were totally empty as residents remained indoors.

NAN also observed that fierce-looking security men had taken over highways in the city to enforce the curfew.

At the Secretariat junction, in Central Jos, some curfew defaulters were turned back while others were being punished for being on the streets.

The usually busy Yakubu Gowon Way was virtually empty with no vehicles plying the road, although security operatives and government officials could be seen intermittently on the road while playgrounds were similarly deserted.

The situation was the same at other major roads in the city, including D.B. Zang, Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmadu Bello and Murtala Muhammed Ways, with stern-looking security operatives manning all corners, especially flash point areas.

The streets were expected to be empty till later in the afternoon when the curfew would be relaxed for about five hours.

STF spokesman, Captain Salisu Mustafa, confirmed to NAN that the curfew would be relaxed late in the afternoon “if the security situation improved.’’

He said, however, that normalcy had been restored in the areas attacked at the weekend, disclosing that reinforcement had been sent to the volatile areas.

The curfew was initially from dusk to dawn but was reviewed on Monday from dawn to 12.30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Senate, on Tuesday, could not sit and postponed the plenary till Wednesday in respect of their colleague the late Senator Dantong, who was said to have slumped and died in a stampede that followed the invasion of Matse village by gunmen in Plateau State.

Dantong, in company of others, had gathered for the mass burial of victims of last Saturday’s massacre of over 100 villagers in Gashish and Riyom villages in Plateau State before the trouble erupted and lost his life in the process.

Senate President, David Mark, after he signed the condolence register, told newsmen that “we should never get tired of preaching that there has to be dialogue, because that is the only solution. Any other solution is not going to be a lasting solution.”

Senator Joshua Dariye, representing Plateau Central, in his reaction said “one cannot quantify the loss of a life, even if the person was an ordinary citizen. It’s very sad, we’ve been thrown into a moment of sadness.”

Senator George Akume said “sanctity of human life is above all consideration. Once you kill, you cannot get back that life.”

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwere-madu, said “this is one of the saddest moments of my life. I have lost a friend and the nation, especially the Senate, has lost a consummate lawmaker in a shameful circumstance.”
Senate deputy whip, Senator Hosea Agboola, said it was painful that Senator Dantong could be murdered while condoling with the people of his senatorial district.

Also, the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, suspended its plenary session in honour of its deceased former member, Senator Dantong.

The Speaker, Honour-able Aminu Tambuwal, who presided over the plenary session, called for a minute silence as a mark of honour for the departed lawmaker and, thereafter, asked Honourable Peter Edeh to pray for the repose of his soul and others who died in the incident.

Meanwhile, terrorists have continued their assault on villages in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom local government areas of the state, with latest attack on Tse and Shong, while no fewer than 140 corpses lay rotten in the two affected council areas.

The member representing Riyom constituency in the state House of Assembly, Honourable Daniel Dem, who confirmed this, said gunmen were still on the mountain top, shooting at people of nearby villages.

Meanwhile, the Special Task Force (STF) has said the two lawmakers who were victims of the attack of Sunday, died due to panic and not gunshot.

In a statement released by the media officer of the force in Jos, on Tuesday, Captain Salisu Mustapher said “the reaction became necessary to correct some media report over the cause of death of the lawmakers.”

via Tribune