Mangu/Bokkos Killings: House Member Urges FG, Security Agencies to Probe Attacks

Juliet Akoje in Abuja.

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon, Solomon Bulus Marenon yesterday  urged the federal government to mandate the Inspector General of Police, chief of army staff and other relevant security agencies to investigate the root causes of incessant killings, attacks in Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency with a view to bringing the culprits to book, restore normalcy and to forestall future occurrence.

Marenon urged the federal government to mandate the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as well as

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately send relief materials to the victims of the unfortunate attack to help provide a new lease of life and restore hope to the people.

He also called on the international community, well-meaning spirited

individuals, philanthropist and non-governmental organizations to come the aid and rescue of his people. 

Briefing the press yesterday, Marenon explained that “the recent spate of wanton killings and destruction of properties by suspected herders (Fulani militia) in Mangu/Bokkos federal Constituency, this ugly and barbaric killing of innocent, peace loving and law abiding citizens is unfortunate, condemnable, censure and of grave concern. We want the world to know that, on the 14” day of November2022 an innocent and law abiding citizen in Gold village of Butura land was attacked, maimed and killed while returning from the farm for just no reason.”

“Also, that on the 15 Nov. 2022, a group of militia suspected to be herders, fully armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunitions launched an attacked on Maikatako village also in Butura ward of Bokkos Local Government Area where

they killed and burnt to ashes more than 11 people, injured many and destroyed properties worth millions of naira as well as left hundreds of people homeless and displaced.”

Furthermore, he added that ” just yesterday, the 16h of November, 2022 another gruesome attack was meted on some villages namely Folloh and Mai Jankaiall in Butura ward where many other people lost their lives, houses and properties worth millions of naira were equally burnt down by the attackers.”

The lawmaker recalled that  four  persons were killed in Kulias, three others in Makale

“We want to inform the world that, over 300,000 hectares of crop farm lands  have been destroyed by the herders due to deliberate and reckless grazing without caution and or fear of any body. Most farmers had little or no harvest dueto this wicked action of unscrupulous herders. “We are disturbed that these attacks are just too many, just within a month, we have buried more than 30 able men and women including children. Unfortunately despite the presence of Operation Safe Haven,Sector 5, the attackers appeared more armed than the security agents could either counter or scare them,” he added.

According to him “the miscreants do have a field day perpetrating evil for hours without any form of provocation and or confrontation by the security, worst still, hitherto, no single arrest and no any deliberate effort has been made to bring these hoodlums to book.”

“We are worried that this is a systematic, well coordinated and pre-planned

attack aimed at total ethnic cleansing and annihilation of indigenous inhabitants

towards a slow land-grabbing agenda.”

“We are particularly Worried that with the kind of a syndicate the militia have exhibited and the precision with which they get to their target, if nothing is urgently done to curb these ugly occurrences the situation may escalate beyond imagination and the entire locality and even the state may be thrown into confusion, chaos and total pandemonium.”

He further stated that, ” while  condemning this iniquitous, heinous and villainous act, we wish to call on the federal and state government to rise to its primary responsibility of securing lives and properties.”

“Our people are being killed and slaughtered like chickens on a daily basis. Must everyone be killed before action is taken, and of what essence would that be? It is time for government to act now and fast.”

 He however pleaded that “we need help from every quarters. The people are helpless and without defence, help us! Help us!! We urgently need help,please help us now!!!”