Leaders of the Muslim and Hausa-Fulani community in Plateau State have rejected calls by Governor Caleb Mutfwang for the withdrawal of the military from peacekeeping operations in the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, signed by Elder Sani Mudi, the group expressed fears and concerns over the demand by the Governor, saying Muslims and Fulani people are being targeted.
The group cited what it described as abuse of their rights and existence in the past as the basis for their fears and called on the government to rather dig deep and tackle the causes of the incessant crisis in the state instead of demanding a withdrawal of soldiers from flashpoints.
They gave examples of the abuse of mobile police uniforms during the 2008 post-election crisis in Jos, where they claimed hundreds of innocent Muslims were killed by some killer squad in police uniforms.
Part of the statement reads:
“We, Muslims and Hausa-Fulani leaders, express fears that the call for the removal of soldiers from peacekeeping operations is mischievous and a grand plan to give room to some people to execute their evil plans of ridding Plateau of the presence of Hausa and Fulani, regarded as unwanted settlers in the state.”
