Two consecutive attacks have been recorded in Jebu – Miango, Bassa LGA in the past 3 days.

On the first occasion on Wednesday 11th October 2017, herdsmen were said to have attacked Jebu-Miango, killing an elderly man (70 year old), wounding scores and burning several houses.

On the second occasion yesterday 12th October 2017, another attack was launched on the same area but no fatalities were recorded. However, several houses were again touched with hundreds of people displaced.

This would be the 3rd attack launched in Plateau this week. Earlier on Tuesday 9th, Mr Moses Gwom (Ex-Plateau SSG), a shop assistant and a soldier were killed in Wereh Village (Dorowa), by yet to be identified assailants.

Data from ViewPointNigeria shows that in the last 3 months (August, September and October), up to 12 separate attacks were recorded in various communities with Plateau fatalities in the higher twenties (note: several fringe attacks have remained unreported, but our correspondent has interviewed survivors at various wards in JUTH).

ViewPointNigeria Analysis

The attacks in Plateau are starting to take the dimensions of the highs recorded in 2013 – 2014, when the average number of attacks per week was 2.

So far the number of attacks in the past few months has averaged similar numbers – with considerable damage and decimation of communities. Scores of small communities which were thriving in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkso for over many years have ceased to exist because of the fear of attacks. Many people have deserted them and have moved further into cities or other communities – allowing swathes of lands for herdsmen to graze.

Crop yields have also been grossly affected with many farmers abandoning their farms for fears of being ambushed.

So far the federal Government has remained mute on all issues relating to herdsmen attacks. The Plateau state Government has also shown very lukewarm and tepid resolve to engaging or confronting the Federal Government on the menace. Not once, has the government been heard to have approached president Buhari to challenge him about the attacks. In fact in several cases, the government itself accused communities of rustling cattle belonging to herdsmen – hence legitimising the herdsmen attacks as reprisals.

The story in the National Assembly is not any different. Our representatives have remained very tepid. None has been able to take the Plateau problem as personally as Hon Bitrus Kaze did – drawing the attention of everyone. That said, we got wind that last week some of the assembly members jointly sponsored a bill in the national assembly in that regard.

In closing, we need to put pressure on PLSG, the national assembly members and FG appointees to not simply think about their political futures but engage FG to break its complicit silence and come to the aid of our people.

Also see our report of the aftermath of the attack, when operation safe haven arrested Irigwe Youths for attempting to launch a reprisal attack on Fulani settlements at the link below:

http://www.viewpointnigeria.com/operation-safe-haven-arrests-8-irigwe-youths-attempting-launch-reprisal-attacks/

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Fresh Attack in Jebu-Miango, Bassa LGA, Plateau