Lawmaker raises alarm over renewed killings in Plateau

A member of the Plateau State House of Representatives, Solomon Maren (PDP, Plateau) has raised the alarm over recent killings by suspected herdsmen in Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency of the state.

Mr. Maren, who represents the district, said more than 30 people have been killed by the militias, who have been attacking communities in a coordinated manner.

The Member of Parliament stated this at the press conference on Thursday National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

He alleged that the herdsmen have lost more than 300,000 hectares of agricultural land, “due to imprudent herding”.

“On November 15, 2022, a group of militiamen suspected to be herdsmen, fully armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunition, also attacked Mai kataka village in Butura district of Bokkos Local Government Area, killing and incinerating more than 11 people, many injured and They destroyed property worth millions of naira,” Maren said.

He added that attackers continue to attack communities despite Operation Safe Haven: Sector 5 in the area.

“Unfortunately, despite Operation Safe Haven Sector 5, the attackers appeared more armed than the security agents, they were not confronted, repelled or dissuaded,” he said.

He emphasized that the inability of the security operators to act has pushed the robbers to continue the killings.

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Mr. Maren said that the attacks on farming communities have prevented them from going to the farms.

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“Most of the farmers had little or no harvest due to this evil act of unscrupulous herdsmen,” he said.

He called on the Inspector General of Police Usman Baba and Chief of Army Staff Faruk Yahaya and other key security agencies to move more security agents to the troubled areas.

Members of Parliament also called him National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to help the victims with material aid.