Clergymen have demanded an end to attacks and threats by suspected herdsmen on the people of Munga Dosso Community of Karim-Lamido local government area of Taraba State.
Speaking with newsmen in Jos, Plateau State capital on the recent attack which claimed the lives of 12 youths of the community, Pastor Amos Gwamna of the Redeemed Christian Church of Christ (RCCG), Jos said the people have lived together with Fulani herdsmen for a long time and coexisted peacefully.
Pastor Gwamna who is from the attacked community described the recent attack as unfortunate, and charged the Fulani community in the LGA to check the criminal elements among them and prevent foreign criminals from infiltrating them.
“I do not understand why we should now allow marauders to start killing innocent souls. This must not be allowed.
“I totally condemn the killings and I call on the Fulani community in Karim-Lamido not to allow outsiders, who are not part of their lineage, to destroy the relationships we have built over the years. Munga Dosso people too are cattle rearers, and some individuals in the community even have over 500 cows,” he said.
The cleric also called on the international community and the federal government to ensure that the perpetrators of the killings were brought to justice.
“This violence is going beyond what the communities can manage. People label these attacks as ‘herdsmen’ or ‘bandits’ but the real question is, ‘who are the people within these communities sponsoring them?’
“The issue is not just about the killers, but also about those who brought them into this country. We must address the root causes.
“I call on all neighbouring communities to come together and support the committee set up by the Governor (Agbu Kefas) to bring an end to these injustices and unholy killings,” he said.
For his part, Yohanna Johnwesley, the Bishop Emeritus of the Global Methodist Church Nigeria, raised the alarm that herdsmen were trooping to the community in large numbers and trying to occupy the land that belong to many families.
“Currently, there is relative peace. However, the people still live in fear. Everyone is afraid because we don’t know what could happen next.
“Whenever they travel or go about their activities, they hear from neighbours or others, warning that Fulani or herdsmen may attack again. This has left the people restless and without peace of mind due to the kind of information they are receiving.
“Community leaders have been making efforts by engaging the government, urging them to come to the aid of the people. As I speak to you, they are still advocating for the deployment of permanent security—especially police personnel—to stay within the village.
“This would safeguard lives and ensure that nothing happens to the people. Having police in the area would not only protect Munga but also benefit surrounding communities.
“The people cannot continue living under threats or insecurity, where conflict and division persist, and we reject the takeover of farmlands by any group.
“The government must ensure that herders are allocated designated areas for grazing, not lands that people already own and have lived on for generations,” he said.
Meanwhile, the acting Secretary of the Munga Dosso community, Bukar Robert, disclosed that there have been several Guerilla tactics employed by the herders over the years in the community which has led to many deaths.
Bukar also lamented that the people of the community who were being killed would still be arrested and sent to prison without the perpetrators of criminal acts ever brought to justice.
He raised the alarm that in the recent crisis, the herdsmen that were arrested with sophisticated rifles and taken to Karim Lamido Police Station were released the next day.
He added that no government representative from the federal, state or local government has visited their community after the incident.
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