No fewer than 13 villagers have been killed during a clash between the Irigwe youths and Fulani militia in some communities in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The PUNCH reports that about twenty other people were said to have sustained injuries in the clash while 200 houses were razed in the affected communities.
The National President of the Irigwe Development Association, Mr Ezekiel Bini, while confirming the incident on Sunday said that over 22,000 of his people had been displaced following the violence which started on Saturday night and lasted till the early hours of Sunday.
According to him, their assailants who organised themselves in groups equally destroyed crops and looted household items belonging to the natives before setting their houses on fire.
Bini said, “Our people are in pains following Yesterday’s attack by Fulani gunmen in some of our communities including DTV, Zanwrah, Kpachudu, and kpatenvien. What we have is a humanitarian crisis in Irigwe land.
“So far, we have counted seven people that were killed during the attack and nine people who sustained gunshot injuries.
“As we speak, 275 houses were burnt down and over 22,000 people displaced including Women, children, and the aged. Some of the displaced persons are currently taking refuge in neighbouring communities in the Miango district, while many others have relocated to Jos for safety.
But The Plateau state Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Nura Muhammad, balmed the Irigwe people for the continued violence in Bassa LGA.
According to him, six Fulani also lost their lives during the attack which they launched on their settlement adding that 11 of his people had been hospitalized as a result.
Describing the situation as critical, Muhammad said, “What happened yesterday was that the Irigwe people mobilized their kinsmen and attacked our people in Rafin Bwauna village, a settlement mainly occupied by the Muslims, Hausa and Fulani. We tried as much as possible to inform the security but to no avail.
“We are still compiling the names of those killed but for now, we lost about six of our people while 11 persons are in various hospitals.
“We in Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria condemn in totality the recent happenings in Bassa LGA. We see it as tit-for-tat madness. We are calling on the Government and the security agents to rise up to the challenge before the situation gets out of hand.”
The lawmaker representing the Irigwe/Rukuba constituency in the Plateau state House of Assembly, Mr Musa Agah, described the situation as terrible.
Spokesman of the Plateau State Command, Ubah Ogaba, said that only four people were killed and fifty houses burnt during the violence adding that normalcy had returned to the communities.
He said, “On 31/07/2021, the Command received a report that there was a conflict between gunmen suspected to be Fulani Militia and youth from Irigwe at Jebbu Miango, Bassa LGA of Plateau State.
“Unfortunately, fifty houses were torched and four natives were also shot dead.
“Upon receipt of the report, the tactical team of the Command was immediately deployed in the scene to tighten the security of the area and to restore peace.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Egbuka, with other senior Officers of the Command visited the scene and has ordered a discreet investigation to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
“Normalcy has been restored in that area,” the statement further added.
