•327 killed between 2017 and 2019
•19 killed between March 23 and April 3, 2020
The Irigwe and Fulani ethnic groups have lived together from the pre-independence era, sharing cultures and boosting social solidarity.
The former is mainly into crop farming while the latter is into livestock raising, which gives room for mutual economic benefits.
But this relationship was dislocated by a common feud over grazing land in Irigweland which is blessed with aquifers, streams and springs that prop up vegetation and provide clean water for both human and animal consumption.
Unfortunately, when the feud defied any meaningful dialogue and truce, the Fulani group who had intermarried with the Irigwe, owned businesses, houses, cows and farms, left.
This occurred over 20 years ago and that marked the beginning of hostilities that claimed several lives and property from both sides.
But the latest onslaught might have been triggered by the unfortunate killing and beheading of a Fulani boy by some Irigwe young men.
Seeing that this occurrence might injure the hard-earned peace between the two groups, the Irigwe community, led by the Paramount ruler, HRH Ronku Aka, reached out to the Fulani leadership and asked for forgiveness. Whether his entreaties were accepted is a matter that can’t be ascertained now but since then, the Irigwe community has been battling with attacks never seen in its history.
However, a recent report by the Rural Youth Integral Support Initiative, titled: Impact assessment of Fulani herdsmen attacks on Irigwe Chiefdom between September 2017 and July 2019, revealed that 327 persons were killed within that period by Fulani herdsmen.
It further says 66 attacks were recorded on 50 village communities with 14,968 persons displaced and 2,662 farmlands destroyed.
Meanwhile, the present situation is a source of serious concern considering the sustained daily attacks on Irigwe land by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Reports reliably gathered by this reporter says 19 people were killed by armed Fulani herdsmen between March 23 and April 3, 2020.
The most talked about in the community was the recent attack and murder of some aged women who were mourning the death of a loved one at Kperie community.
Miffed by the persistent killing of their kinsmen by gunmen, the Irigwe Development Association, through its President, Sunday Abdu, gave a statement.
“While our people have continued to remain indoors and law-abiding in the wake of the national outcry over the virus, the assailant Fulani herdsmen have continued each day within the last two weeks, to visit us with mayhem.
“On Wednesday, April 1, Ancha, one of our troubled communities, was visited once more in an attack that left three people dead and various houses razed.
“On Thursday, April 2, we woke up to bury six people burnt to death in Hukke from an overnight attack. Recently, two young men were murdered in cold blood in Nkyiedongwro while returning from moulding bricks.
“There was also the killing of two mourners at Kpenrie village on 23 March, same day three children were also killed at Gbra Zongu village.
“As we prepared this release today, April 3, the news came in that Nkyiedongwro suffered another night attack, such that there may be no house left unburnt”, the statement read.
It was learnt that the security personnel stationed in the villages were not spared.
The association noted that: “the dastardly activities of the assailants did not only end on us, as even the security personnel stationed to protect us have tested their venom when two of their comrades were murdered in cold blood” and also expressed their worry over “the recent withdrawal of men of the Special Security Task Force, Operation Safe Haven from our domain”.
According to Abdu, the association is not satisfied with the attitude of the Plateau State government over the attacks on her people.
“We are deeply concerned about the obvious silence of the Plateau state government over this resumed hostilities on our soil. Is the government too concerned about the raging coronavirus pandemic that we are almost abandoned to the gruesome activities of the Fulani marauders? If the government does not rise to tackle this challenge, Irigwe land would be wiped off even before the COVID-19 comes close to Plateau state”, Abdu stated.
News Chronicle called The Director of Press Affairs (DOPA) to the Plateau state governor, Simon Macham for his response on the allegation by IDA and he asked to be given time to find out what is been done on the issue from the government security team.
After a while he responded through a WhatsApp text: “In any case, a Government Delegation is visiting the area by 2 pm today beginning with a visit to the Chief. You may wish to get there and follow the details as well as get other information on what has been done so far”.
Also, a call put forward to the Police Spokesman in Plateau State, Ubah Gabriel Ogaba, on the matter, was not successful. He picked the call but ended it immediately when the conversation began. All attempts to reach him again proved abortive.
