Six NGOS working with Human Rights Writers Association of
Nigeria on 11th April arrived Taraba state on a special Human
Rights investigative work which took us about five days.
On our stay in Jalingo capital of Taraba state, we were able to
visit the three senatorial districts. The North, South and Central. The
following information was gathered from our trip.
On 13th of April the team visited the northern
senatorial district. Lau Local Government and the following villages were
covered; Lainde Jessi a village where they were attacked during a burial of
victims according to one of the villagers Evangelist John CRCM church.
He said that crisis and fight was not serious in Lainde Jessi
that it was at night that they came and attacked them but it was only one boy
that was killed and the villagers protested and went to bury the boy then the
attackers came and attacked them and five (5) men were killed at the process
and houses were burnt down.
This happened in LAU LGA and we proceeded to a village called
Katibu where the entire villages were wiped out within a day by the Fulani Herdsmen
in just a night all in the Northeast and Northern senatorial district of Taraba
State Jalingo.
14th of April 2018, the team proceeded to the
Southern part of the state; we headed to Takum Local Government Area where the
team met a group of protesters with black coloured inscriptions demanding for
the withdrawal of the Army.
The team was informed that they were highly brutalized by
the Nigerian Army and were disarmed even when they are not protected and are
killed on a daily basis and the Army also went ahead stealing their belongings
such as money, phones and foods and as well arresting their youths for doing
nothing. The military denied this allegation.
On the 15th of April, the team covered the
central senatorial district covering Geshaka, Bali, Mambilla and Gembu where
many structures were destroyed and the military are still on ground to maintain
peace within the community. The team observed that activities are going on well
both Fulani’s and the community are living together and grazing is still going
on.one of the victims discloses to the team that the attacks are mostly at
night.
From the totality of our findings in Taraba State and drawing
from the ugly reports from Benue, Nasarawa and other affected states, we are
convinced that what is going on is not herders versus farmers clashes but pure
acts of terrorism by armed Fulani herdsmen. The federal government clearly has
failed to fulfill the constitutional obligation which clearly specifies that
the security and welfare of the citizens are the primary objectives of
Government as enshrined in section 14 (2) (b) of the Nigerian constitution of
1999 (as amended). Section 14 (2) (b) states thus: “The security and welfare of
the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
From our observations in Taraba State, we met a citizenry that
have lost hope that government especially the federal government has the will
power and political will to discharge the binding constitutional obligation to
protect their lives and properties from the well-coordinated attacks by armed
Fulani herdsmen.
Therefore, we recommend that the State Houses of Assemblies
should draw strength from part II, section 7 of the constitution and create
armed vigilants to provide the necessary complimentary security of lives and
property of Nigerians in those states.
Part II, section 7 of the Nigerian constitution states thus:
“The House of Assembly of State shall have power to make laws for the peace,
order and good government of the state or any part thereof with respect to the
following matters, that is to say- (a) any matter not included in the Exclusive
legislative list set out in Part I of the second schedule to this constitution;
(b) any matter included in the concurrent legislative list set out in the first
column of Part II of the second schedule to this constitution to the extent
prescribed in the second column opposite thereto; and (c) any other matter with
respect to which it is empowered to make laws in accordance with the provisions
of this constitution.”
We totally condemn the invasion of armed thugs into, the
National Assembly and we suspect that these hoodlums are uncomfortable with the
disposition of the senate in condemning the lack of efficiency and
effectiveness by the armed security forces to stop the mass murders by armed
Fulani herdsmen.
We condemn the attempts to destabilize the National Assembly and
hereby call on Nigerians to defend the institution of legislature so a law can
be made to permit for compulsory military training for all adult Nigerians and
the liberalisation of licenses to carry gun so sane Nigerians can be able to
defend themselves from being killed.
This is in line with section 220 (1) of the constitution which
states thus: “The federation shall establish and maintain adequate facilities
for carrying into effect any Act of the National Assembly providing for
compulsory military training or military service for citizens of Nigeria.”
Government must declare Miyetti Allah Cattle Owners
Association as a terrorists group, arrest and prosecute mass murderers and
ensure that they are punished. Government must never pamper mass.
*Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko; National Coordinator of Human Rights
Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA).
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