NGO urges FG to deploy more security personnel to area

iyebiye olawuyi

June 22, 2017 4:43 PM

The group made the appeal in Abuja at a news conference on the recent clash between the Nguroje community.

___6829302___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___6829302___2017___6___13___14___President-Muhammadu-Buhari

The Pastoral Resolve, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Thursday called on the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to the Mambilla Plateau area in Taraba State.

The group made the appeal in Abuja at a news conference on the recent clash between the Nguroje community and herdsmen in the Mambilla Plateau neighbourhood in Sardauna Local Government Area (LGA) of Taraba.

Mr Saleh Momale, Acting Executive Director of the group, said that the crisis, which occurred between June 17 and June 21, was provoked by the arrest of a suspected criminal by the police in the area.

“Rioters at Nguroje community, who were protesting the arrest of a suspected criminal by the police, decided to launch coordinated attacks on Fulani cattle breeders."

“Statistics available to us show that over 17, 000 cows were confirmed dead; besides, the condition of the remaining cows is unknown, with thousands more possibly killed or rustled by the militiamen."

“The attacks rapidly spread to most parts of the Mambilla Plateau, leading to mass killing of cattle, burning of houses and killing of persons in several villages around the area."

“Indeed, what became most worrisome to us is the scale, extent and manner of the carnage, as people and animals were killed in the most barbaric nature by irate mobs claiming to be the indigenes of the Mambilla Plateau area,’’ he said.

Momale said that many houses were burnt in the area while the people’s properties were looted by the hoodlums.

He said that the group, on its own, constituted an emergency rescue-and-support team to assist in efforts to rescue those who were trapped during the crisis.

Momale commended the Federal Government for its quick intervention in the crisis for deploying military personnel to the area.

He, nonetheless, underscored the need to deploy additional security personnel to the Sardauna LGA to restore law and order in the area.

“We are also appealing to the Federal Government to initiate humanitarian response by directing the to provide relief materials to victims of the crisis in the affected areas."

“We appeal to the Federal Government to urgently constitute a search-and-rescue team to save the lives of children, women and old people trapped in various villages across the local government area,’’ he said.

He, however, urged the residents of the affected areas to remain calm, while promoting peace and peaceful coexistence with others.

Momale said that his organisation was established in 1998 to support food and livestock production, while promoting harmonious relations between the diverse rural agricultural and pastoral communities.

He said that the group was also promoting education in the rural communities across the country.

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