By Marie-Therese

Nanlong, Jos

Plateau State, in the last three weeks, has witnessed renewed attacks which claimed scores of lives leading to the imposition of curfew in seven of its 17 local government areas. In this interview, the state Association of Local Governments, ALGON, Chairman and Chairman, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, one of the affected councils, Emmanuel Loman, speaks on the attacks and other issues.

 Recently there have been renewed attacks in your local government, Barkin Ladi, as well as neighbouring councils like Riyom. What would you say is the reason for the attacks?

There have been attacks  for the past two weeks in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas. We had a break from the attackers but the killings are recurring. Actually before the elections, it was  made known to us by the Fulani that if  the APC won, it would bring on stream  their government and we will see what they will do to us.

This issue is purely  territorial  because there are certain portions the Fulani have  earmarked  for themselves in Barkin Ladi local government and seized another portion around Garshish, Sho towards Riyom local government.

There is also  a place they occupy and named Mahanga in Riyom local government area; in the last seven to eight years, there were  few places they took over  in that area, but, today, they are everywhere. The area belongs to the Berom in Riyom local government but these people have taken over the whole place.

You see them killing people from hamlet to hamlet around the area. The unfortunate thing is that these are people who came, our parents allowed them to stay with us. It is purely a territorial issue; the killings and the system  adopted are like  those of terrorists  in Maiduguri.

The attackers wear military uniform; they come with sophisticated weapons and open fire on  villagers. We have called  on the Federal Government that we have terrorists in our midst, let them come and cordon the place and search but nothing has been done.

At times, soldiers will come; see the Fulani  at the other side with sophisticated weapons and the soldiers will  have no  choice but to  go back. We thought  they will report to their headquarters for help but nothing has been  done about the situation.

It is so worrisome because the number of security personnel that have been killed is alarming;  if they don’t care about  civilians, I think they should take a step to safeguard the lives of  security agents in the STF.  Two days ago at Kura Falls, a  police sergeant attached to the STF was killed.

In the past,  if a civilian attempted  to kill a soldier  on peace keeping, you will be in trouble, but today, nothing is done; the other day, a security agent  was killed by the Fulani around Sho village; that called for  reinforcement  in the  area, but do you know what they did?

They rather withdrew security agents that were there leaving the people vulnerable. The indigenes were not the people who killed the security man, it was the Fulani. Instead of the STF to go after the people who killed their member, it did not happen; they rather withdrew their men.

The same thing happened at Riyom when two policemen working with Operation Rainbow were killed; the CP ordered the withdrawal of security agents  in that area and the killers went scot free.  We don’t know what is happening. Something must be done immediately; if not so, another crisis looms.

If you go  to Garshish, that vast land that leads to Riyom local government, they have occupied that area. These are people’s farmlands; you just came overnight to take them over. When they come, they come with mercenaries  to fight. Why are you forcefully taking over people’s land?

The  constitution of this country does not give you the audacity to forcefully take what does not belong to you. We are all Nigerians and free to live anywhere but the moment you find yourself in an area, you must obey the laws of such area  and live peacefully with the indigenes, but when you  collect what belongs to them forcefully, I think that will not augur well. Government must do something about this.

 Are you indicting the Special Task Force, STF? What are your findings about the  situation?

I am not indicting them but the truth must be told. My finding about the situation is that some people are compromising. Do you remember that a President in this country once mentioned that those sponsoring terrorism, some of them were even in his  cabinet?

There is nothing to hide, a Fulani man in the bush can pick his phone and call somebody in The Presidency, and there is a link to these things.

Even within the security agencies, there are some collaborating with them. That is why if you look at it, who is a  civilian to attack soldiers on  special duty and kill two or three and you think you can go scot free.

It  has been happening and nothing is done about it; it means something is happening somewhere.   It is either some of the security agents are compromising for  religious reason  or they are doing so for money. Unless we are straightforward in this country, unless we go by the rules and regulations, we will be doing  havoc to ourselves.

Some days ago, curfew was declared in seven local government areas including Barkin Ladi, your local government. How effective is the curfew and do you think the curfew will solve the problem?

I heard  about it the way others did on air and it is shocking to some of us, we were not aware. My DPO called me to also say he was not aware. If  you want to impose  curfew, we know the problem on ground but we were not consulted, we just heard it on air like others.

As the ALGON Chairman in Plateau State, what are the steps you have taken to address the situation and what has the current administration done to help the situation?

We have held series of meetings with security agencies to see how to end this problem but, if you look at it, special interest is there and they have a way of scuttling our efforts. The  present government has put the machinery on ground, what we have done is to  come up with vigilante groups to help in defending the people because  the laws of this land allow you to defend yourself against attack.

How have the attacks affected your plans for the council?

The attacks have tampered with my plans for the local government because  resources are  channelled to security. Because of dwindling allocation from the Federation  Account, salaries are not being paid in many states.

But  in my local government,  salaries payment is  up to date; this is as a result of non-interference with our funds by the government of Governor Jonah Jang.

Meanwhile,  if you go to the 17 local government areas, the rate of development has really improved and the state government has also contributed immensely to the development of the headquarters of the  local government areas.

As the Chairman of ALGON in the state, your members did not give the incoming administration support when the campaigns were ongoing. Do you have any fear that the incoming administration may not carry this crop of Chairmen along in the new administration?

If the APC  is claiming it  will obey the rule of law, then nobody can tamper with democratically elected structures. The governor-elect in Plateau, Barrister Lalong, has said  he will not tamper with  democratic structures but what we discovered is that he has pressure from his party members that the local government councils should be dissolved and he, as a lawyer, has a professional body that is watching with keen interest.