By Tom Garba, Yola – A community in Adamawa state, Njiya-Goron Community in Girei Local Government Area, has vowed to protect itselves against what it described as “heinous attacks always meted on them by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The community warned that should security agencies in the state fail to come to their aid, they would have no option than take drastic measures to protect themselves against the attackers.
They accused the Adamawa state Government, the Adamawa Emirate Council, Girei Local Government Council and Girei District Council of not taking any action to stop any further attacks despite identifying the arrow heads of the attack and those herdsmen that participated fully in the heinous crime.
“In view of the stated facts, we condemn the lukewarm attitude, belated reaction and the unholy silence of the state and Federal Governments over the massacre of our people. We equally condemn the sentimental and pathological discrimination against our people,” it said at a media briefing on Monday.
Addressing Journalists in Yola, the leader of the group, Manassah K.Nayangom, a retired military office revealed that property worth over Two Billion Naira (2,000,000,000) destroyed, accusing the Fulani marauders of also looting.
Njiya-Goron community comprising 13 villages who are mostly predominantly farmers also dragged the federal government, the police and military before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the attacks and Killing of their men.
“The grave yard silence, and the discrimination meted to our community in which we were left to bear the brunt of an armed attacks by Fulani herdsmen, plotted and prepare under the watchful eyes of the state and federal government without taking any decisive action to foil it. The said attacks left 65 members of the community dead. There were wanton destruction and looting of our properties worth billions of Naira by the vandals.
“This left us with no alternative than to run to the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) in order to enforce our fundamental human right, as we hold strong that, the right to life is a universal gift of God that no race or tribe no matter how strong can lay higher claim to it as being insinuated by the Fulani herdsmen.”
Mr Mayangom who circulated copies of the petition among journalists said the security services and the authorities in the state failed to stop the attack that left 65 people dead in January.
Fulani cattle men and the Njiya-Goron communities have had several minor clashes before the escalation of the crisis with the Fulanis accusing the natives of cow stealing and killing of herdmen.
Mr. Mayangom decried the continued threat to peace in the six affected villages, forcing more people to flee the area.
He alleged plot to eliminate his kinsmen of Bwatiye ethnic group with the tacit approval of government, traditional authorities as well as security agencies whom he further accused of disregarding all efforts by the community to avert the January mayhem.
