PLATEAU ATTACKS AND KILLINGS: WE ARE THE ONLY INDIGENOUS ETHNIC GROUPS IN JOS, WE WILL DEFEND OUR LAND--- AFIANABER

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

The people of Afizere, Angatu and Berom, in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State have reiterated that, they are the only indigenous ethnic groups in the Local Government and have excluded the Fulani and Hausa.

With the continued attacks being experienced in the Local Government, the youth groups of the claimants, have vowed to defend their land in the face of government failure.

“We, the three indigenous Ethnic groups of Jos North LGA, that is the Afizere, Angatu and Berom, wish to categorically rise against the killings, maiming and massacring of innocent of our brothers and sisters in cold blood within Jos and its environs.

“We    frown at this heinous act of killing innocent citizens regardless of their faiths and where they come from”. Joseph Arin (Chairman Afizere Youth Movement), Deacon Moses Dawang (President, Anaguta Youth Movement) and Yakubu Dung Pam (Chairman, Berom Youth Movement) stated in a press statement.

According to the release, “Within the period of two weeks alone, over one hundred people have lost their lives in Jos North LGA, ranging from Attacks and counter attacks.

“The Recent skirmishes resulted in the killing of innocent people including the students of the University of Jos.

“The Major constitutional responsibility of Government at all levels is to secure the lives and property of her citizens, but with the killings in Dong and Yesterday’s attack and killing of over 36 innocent people in Yelwa Zangam, Government  has not been able to secure her citizens”.

Adding that, “We want to state it clearly with equivocation that, these attacks, mowing of crops, land grabbing in Jos North is been perpetrated by the suspected Fulani Bandits, who graze their cattle on our crops, forceful seizure of our lands and subsequently launch attacks.

“With this sad developments, we are calling on our people to rise and defend themselves within the tenets of law, before we will all perish from the hands of the attackers”.

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PRESS STATEMENT

THE GENOCIDE IN JOS NORTH AND THE URGENT NEED FOR SELF DEFENCE

BY: THE AFIZERE, ANAGUTA AND BEROM YOUTH (AFIANABER) JOS NORTH LGA.

We, the three indigenous Ethnic groups of Jos North LGA, that’s the Afizere, Angatu and Berom, wish to categorically rise against the killings, maiming and massacring of innocent of our brothers and sisters in cold blood within Jos and its environs.

We    frown at this heinous act of killing innocent citizens regardless of their faiths and where they come from.

Within the period of two weeks alone, over one hundred people lost their lives in Jos North LGA, ranging from Attacks and counter attacks.

The Recent skirmishes resulted into the killing of innocent people including the students of the University of Jos.

The Major constitutional responsibility of Government at all levels is to secure the lives and property of her citizens, but with the killings in Dong and Yesterday’s attack and killing of over 36 innocent people in Yelwa Zangam, Government  has not been able to secure her citizens.

We want to state it clearly with equivocation that, these attacks, mowing of crops, land grabbing in Jos North is been perpetrated by the suspected Fulani Bandits, who graze their cattle on our crops, forceful seizure of our lands and subsequently launch attacks.

Just yesterday, over thirty six people were massacred by these marauders in Yelwa Zangam and the brutal way they carried this heinous act, a bridge was destroyed in order to hinder securities access to rescue the community.

With this sad development, we are calling on our people to rise and defend themselves within the tenets of law, before we will all perish from the hands of the attackers.

All communities should intensify efforts and rejig the Community police, hunters and vigilantes. They should be properly equipt to carry their duties effectively, as well as, gather enough intelligence to prevent further unprovoked attacks.

To our greatest consternation, instead of Government to send adequate security agents to the affected areas, Soldiers and other securities were sent to Angwan Rukuba to molest innocent citizens.

We call on the Federal and Plateau state Government to  beef up security around Bauchi Junction, University of Jos, TT and T Junction, Kunga, Gidan Mai Jegap and other volatile areas to forestall other occurrence.

Secondly, Relief Materials should be sent to the victims and Community of Yelwa Zangam.

Thirdly, the victims of the attacks or their families should be compensated. Those injured and receiving medical treatments, Government should pay their medical bills. All the burnt houses and the bridge should be reconstructed and the perpetrators, arrested and prosecuted.

Signed:

 Joseph Arin, Chairman Afizere Youth Movement.

Deacon Moses Dawang, President, Anaguta Youth Movement.

Yakubu Dung Pam, Chairman, Berom Youth Movement.