THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON RESUMPTION FROM RECESS DEBATED THE PLATEAU KILLINGS IN A MOTION BROUGHT UNDER MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC
IMPORTANCE ON TUESDAY, 03/07/18.

The Motion was moved by Rep Istifanus D. Gyang and co-sponsored by
Hon. Edward Gyang Pwajok
Hon. Solomon Bulus Maren
Hon. Timothy Golu
Hon. Johnbull Shekarau.

MASSACRE OF OVER 215 PERSONS IN PLATEAU STATE.

The House;
Notes with shock and disbelieve the massacre by killer herdsmen of over
215 persons both young and old, men and women neither were children and
toddlers spared. These are barbaric acts of man’s inhumanity to man,
ethnic cleansing and genocide which constitute the worst forms of wickedness and cruelty.

Further notes that the outpouring of outrage and condemnations by
Nigerians and the international community including the Secretary General of the United Nations, US, and a session of the UK House of Lords,
worried by the huge loss of lives and property and consequent
bereavement by many families and communities.

Concerned that not less than 15 villages and communities were destroyed in the well coordinated attacks and mass killings including; Gana Ropp, Bet, Rankwok, Rapwomol, Ratatis, Bwom-Hei Ropp, Nghar, Rukku, Soi, Tisan, Katchin, Kazok, Zargok, Kura Worom, Ex Lands, Shonong and others in Bassa, Bokkos and Mangu.

Further Concerned that analysis of previous killer herdsmen attacks has shown that they are usually Guerilla in nature using sophisticated arms
and machetes. Villages that have completely sacked in Plateau State
include but not limited to the following:
Barkin Ladi-22, Riyom-18, Bassa -5, Bokkos-7, Total =52

Worried that the attacks have a pattern where once a community is attacked, it is cleansed by killing the native inhabitants, the houses burnt and destroyed, and the vacated land taken over for occupation. The cycle is repeated and the pattern replicated in what has clearly manifested as
a land grabbing agenda.

Further Worried that the attacks, mass killings and land grabbing is
being perpetrated without an appropriate response of the nation’s security. This indecisiveness, inadequate response and seeming apathy of government has emboldened the killer herdsmen to continue in their acts
of terror ethnic cleansing and land grabbing.

Disturbed by the malicious destruction of hundreds of hectares of farm
crops of the natives by herdsmen in a bid to cause hunger and economic
strangulation of the natives.

Further disturbed by the slow and ineffective response of NEMA which
aggravated the humanitarian tragedy.

Perturbed that even while the President and Vice President visited Plateau State and gave assurances of security and safety, the attacks and killings persisted and extended to the burning down of not less than 5 Churches all in a bid to provoke a religious crisis.

Further Perturbed that virtually all theories known to peace building and
dialogue have been experimented on the Plateau yet it has neither restrained nor stopped the land grabbing motivated attacks and killings. It is therefore glaring that is not the absence of dialogue but the fact that engendering lasting peace will defeat the intendment of the
killings which is the land grabbing agenda.

Applauds the rare display of humaneness and value for human live by the Chief Imam of Nghar, Mallam Tsoho of Hausa extraction who along with one Abbas a Yoruba muslim graciously shielded and kept many natives in a
mosque at the risk of their own lives from the rampaging killer herdsmen.

Aware that the Constitution in Section 41(1) permits every Nigerian citizen to reside in any location of his choice without let or hindrance. The exercise of this right however does not extinguish the right of other citizens, especially host communities to the ownership of their ancestral
lands and customary heritages or to peaceful co-habitation.

The House Resolves:

(i) Condemn the killing and massacre in the strongest terms.

(ii) Government must take decisive action to stop the killings and secure communities that have been under persistent attacks.

(iii) The over 52 villages currently under illegal and forceful occupation
in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa and Mangu Local Governments be recovered by government and the displaced owners resettled on their ancestral land. To do otherwise is akin to allowing a criminal to retain the proceeds of crime.

(iv) The masterminds and perpetrators of the attacks and massacre should be arrested and be prosecuted. There should be a Coroner’s Inquest and Forensic examination of the weapons and ammunition
used to determine the course of deaths, caliber and source of the weapons used.

(v) Urge the President to go beyond verbal condemnation of the
attacks to taking decisive and practical steps to give effect to
section 14 (2) (b) of CFRN, 1999 as amended.

(vi) Direct NEMA to provide immediate relief to the IDPs to avert a
humanitarian crisis and a Special Reconstruction Fund should be set
up by the Federal Government in this regard.

(vii) Urge an overhauling of NEMA so that it can respond effectively in emergency situations.

(viii) The National Assembly should immediately revisit the Constitution
Review exercise to empower states to establish State Police for
effective community policing and maintenance of law and order. This
is as a result of the fact that the current Security Architecture
has failed to bring an end to violent attacks across the Federation.

(ix) The House committees on Army, Airforce, Police, National Security
and Intelligence and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to
ensure implementation and report back to the House within three
weeks for further legislative action.

(x) Observe a one minute silence in prayer for the souls of the departed.

At the close of the debate, two additional prayers were moved and adopted by the House ie:
1. The killings were classified as acts of genocide against the natives.
2. Urge the Federal government to build and maintain orphanages in the affected LGs to cater for the many children who lost their parents from the attacks.

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Barr. I. D. Gyang Moves Motion on Plateau Killings