Plateau youth groups under the platform of Berom Youths Moulders (BYM) and Forum of Bokkos Development Association, has called on the federal government to go after sponsors and networks of Fulani militias within and outside Nigeria and arrest the perpetrators of the Christmas Eve attacks in Barki Ladi and Bokkos.
They also accused the Coalition of Fulani Groups of spreading falsehood in the media in a bid to mislead the public and the international community to cover up the massacre of Plateau people.
The leader of the groups, Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, who led other groups to a press conference in Jos yesterday said the Fulani coalition’s media briefing on Sunday in Jos was full of lies, cover ups and deceit.
“The Fulani coalition group’s media conference in Jos last Sunday was an attempt to cover, confuse, misdirect and downplay the heinous crimes committed by their bandits and therefore there was no sincerity in the pretentious condolences which actually amounted to a hidden sense of mockery and hypocrisy,” he said, accusing them of “speaking from both sides of the mouth.”
He said the misleading account of the coalition that eight districts suddenly rose against the Fulanis or their purported number of cattle without any reason is totally false.
He charged the Fulani to be honest enough to tell the world the truth about the December massacre of the natives in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu by their hired militias rather than lying to the world about what their people did to the natives.
“To the best of our knowledge, Fulani herders have been hosted by local communities for decades, but now Fulanis have counted themselves unworthy of the hospitality and accommodation by the natives peoples who are largely peasant farmers,” he said.
According to him, in Plateau alone there are over 102 hamlets and villages that have been completely sacked and are being occupied by Fulanis.
The youth leader also accused Fulani herders of killing Bokkos paramount ruler, Da Lazarus Agai and a district head and village head in similar circumstances a few years ago.
He insisted that the Fulani lack customary rights and authority over Plateau lands and territories in communities except those acquired through purchase, gifts and good will.
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