A Fuliani group under the banner of the Coalition of Fulani Registered Organizations (COFRO), has cried out over what it described as the unjust profiling of herders as the aggressors in any violence that occurs in Plateau State.
Chairman of the coalition in Bokkos Local Government Area, Sale Yusuf Adamu, who made the cry during a press conference in Jos on Thursday, said the group categorically rejects the claims that they are aggressors in the unending violence in the state, claiming that they are rather the victims.
While reacting to recent allegations by the Bokkos Concerned Youth (BCY) which accused Fulani herders of sacking over 300 communities in the LGA and killing over 200 innocent people, Adamu insisted that the perpetrators were not herdsmen as no herder has been arrested in connection with the attacks.
Adamu stated that as a result of the ‘unjust’ labelling of Fulani herders as killers and aggressors, they have suffered significant casualties, including the killing of their members, their cattle, destruction of their houses and sources of livelihood, as well as rustling of their cattle.
He claimed that many Fulani families have also been forced out of their ancestral communities by local milit8a gangs who then take over their lands.
The COFRO chairman also claimed that over 50 communities belonging to Fulani indigenous people have been sacked, listing them to include Marish, Cherget, Mangwan, Machambe, Kwatas, Dimish 1, Dimish 2, Wumat 1, Wumat 2, Dakin Kowa, Chikam 2, Garau, Bakanu, Dakanu, Angwan Abuja, Getel, Bot, Faranti, BFP Farms, Makada, Woshen, Rui, among others, all in Bokkos.
Adamu also debunked the allegations that Fulani herders often collude with security agencies whenever they are on a mission to attack communities in the council, and wondered how it could be possible for the herders to easily compromise the security forces.
He noted the accusations are not only false but speculative and dangerous, and capable of setting the peace-loving Fulani people of Bokkos LGA against the security forces.
Adamu, however, appealed for peace while calling on governments at all levels, security agencies, peace-loving individuals, stakeholders and the international community to disregard accusations leveled at herders, which are, according to him, false and baseless.
