By Teryima Andrew
Worried by persistent attacks on communities, killing scores of persons and destroying property, a group, Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN) has call on government to come to the rescue of survivors.
“We are also calling on the State Government to foot the medical bills of the injured and provide logistics through SEMA to those who survived the attacks in the three communities of Daffo, Irigwe and Dong Kasa to enable them to be rehabilitated.”
PIDAN President Madaki Aboi, in a press statement issued on Saturday in Jos, Plateau state revealed that some communities have been ransacked from their ancestral homes, and taken over by herdsmen attackers.
“This has been our observation in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs where over 15 community settlements are now occupied by the suspected attackers.”
It stressed that “the systematic execution of the attacks, the increasing number of casualties and the progressive destruction of ready-for harvest dry season farmlands in the affected communities gave us great cause for concern.”
PIDAN call on leaders of herdsmen to call their members to order “we wish to appeal to all the umbrella organizations of the herdsmen on the Plateau to please educate their members to respect the sanctity of life as enshrined in the holy books and seek legal means of addressing cattle rustling instead of wanton killings of innocent citizens.”
The press release however commended effort by government and security operatives in curtailing killings.
“We wish to appreciate the efforts of the security agencies which greatly assisted in taming the Dong Kasa attack. We are equally appealing for calm in the affected communities and call on the state government once again to step up its efforts and put a stop to further attacks by the herdsmen.”
PIDAN, is the umbrella organization that coordinates the activities of autochthonous communities development associations.
