Police, Ministry of Information disagree over number of casualties in recent Nigeria massacre

By: Victor Ulasi, Nigeria

A great misunderstanding has arisen in Plateau State, Nigeria between the state Police Command and the State Ministry of Information over the number of casualties in the recent religious crisis, as the Police Command accuses the Ministry of Information of quoting misleading and inaccurate figures on casualties.

The controversy has led the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba to address the press and called on journalist to disregard the report by the Ministry of Information as the reports are fabricated and were not based on facts.

Mr. Aduba stated that a total of 109 people were dead during the religious crisis which conflicted with the figures quoted by the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Gregory Yenlong who said that over 500 people were massacred by the Fulani kinsmen in Dogo Nahauwa, Zot, Rasat and Kutgot, the three affected villages.

Mr. Aduba stated:  “Only one mass grave was designated for the burial ceremony.  The body count of the dead was witnessed by government aides and police officers including the state Commissioner for Information.  The total of the mass buried was 70, including 12 male children, 26 female children, 16 female adults, and 16 male adults.”

Mr. Aduba aslo released information that 30 people were buried separately by relatives at Barikin Ladi and Dogo Nahauwa Local Government to give their loved ones appropriate respect.  In addition, 9 people died at the Jos University Teaching Hospital which brought the total number of casualties to 109.

The Police commissioner further released the total number of suspects arrested.  “200 people are currently arrested.   49 Fulani who said they were on a ‘revenge mission’ were arrested at the scene of the massacre, while 151 others were detained for possession of unlawful weapons. Our investigations revealed that the Fulani men were paid to kill and others were volunteers…”  – added Mr. Aduba.

The Police Commissioner dispelled the report that 500 people were killed and 371 or 380 have been buried.   He reiterated that the information previously provided by the State Ministry of Information was inaccurate and fabricated.  He called on public to disregard the information.

On the other hand, the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Yenlong is standing by his statements.  He told reporters that the Commissioner of Police was skeptical about number of casualties but assured that “I personally took journalists to the affected villages where they have witnessed the massacre and counted the number of victims themselves.  Those who lost relatives can testify as to the number of people killed.”
The massacre that is said to have occurred in three villages of Dogo Nahauwa, Zot, Rasat and Kutgot claiming the unconfirmed lives of 500 Christians, was said to have been a revenge attack by the Fulani Muslims for the religious killings by Christians in February 2010, claiming the lives 300 Muslims.

Fulani indigenes; however, denied the allegation that Fulani Muslim herdsmen were behind the attacks in Jos, Nigeria.   They stated that the Fulani are cattle breeders spending most of their time on the farm or in the bush and are known to be peaceful.

In a press conference held in Kano state, the National Chairman of the Fulani group; Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (FULDAN) Ahmad Usman Bello denied allegations of Fulani herdsmen being involved in the religious crisis, and called the accusations unfair and without merit.  

“I do not understand the reason why everyone is pointing an accusing finger at the Fulani kinsmen for the killings just because the assailants spoke the Fulani language.  Today we have multilingual citizens in Nigeria.  …There is no single evidence that proves Fulani guilt. We should remember that the Fulani are not the only Muslims in Plateau state and what people fail to understand is that the massacre has nothing to do with religion, politics and ethnicity.”

Indeed, it appears that the continuous massacre in the name of religion claiming hundreds of lives in Plateau state, has nothing to do with politics or religion.  It is a fight for land acquisition.  The so called natives of Plateau state allege that the Muslims are trying to claim their state, populated by Christians.

In an interview with Plateau state dweller Mr. Jonson Luka said “This is our land and we cannot sit  and watch the Muslims come and take it away from us.  …We will defend our land to the last drop of our blood.”

No one can really tell what is behind the massacres in Plateau state, Nigeria.  The natives believe it is about land acquisition, others say it’s political, while some believe it is religious persecution.

Edited by: Livia Sappington

Posted by worldnews on March 11, 2010. Filed under International News,International Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.