Dare Babalola
The Concerned Plateau Fulani Forum (CPFF) asserts that while Christians in Plateau State highlight a “Christian genocide”, a parallel genocide targeting Fulani people and their cattle is underway, allegedly carried out by “native militias” in multiple communities.
National Coordinator of the group, Saleh Haruna, who made the claim in a statement issued in Jos on Saturday, said despite claims by Christians, especially, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo that Fulani militias and herdsmen have been killing Christians in the state for no reason, the number of Fulani people and their cows who have been killed far outweighs the number of Christians who have been killed mostly in “reprisal attacks.”
He stated that in several communities, particularly in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, Riyom, and Bassa LGAs, over 3,000 Fulani individuals and more than 10,000 cattle have been killed or stolen.
He said, “Are these killings also not enough to say there has been Fulani and cow genocide in Plateau State?”
“Ordinarily, we would not have responded to Rev. Dachomo’s regular accusations against Fulani people of being the aggressors whenever there are attacks in Plateau communities but the way he has been going about it, releasing videos and making statements every day, we are also compelled to let the world know that there has also been several cases of Fulani genocide in the state.”
Haruna said that though it is against the culture of the Fulanis to count their dead and graves, they would not mind going against the culture to ask to dig up graves where their slain people were buried.
“Since the respected pastor has vowed to bring in the international community to show them mass graves where Christians were allegedly buried, we may also be forced to go against our culture and dig up our people who were also buried in mass graves,” Haruna said.
He also referenced a recent statement by controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi who claimed that Christians in the state bury empty caskets in mass graves to give a semblance of mass burial, Haruna said:
“Our revered Sheikh Ahmad Gumi did not mince words when he said Christians bury empty caskets in mass graves to deceive the world of Christian genocide and we believe him completely. Rev. Dachomo should be ready to dig up the graves and show us the corpses and we will also do the same.
“Fulani people have been at the receiving end of mass killings, especially in Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Bassa, by native militias, but these incidents are not being reported by the media in the state because most of them are run by Christians. But once a few Christians become victims in reprisal attacks by our people, the story becomes headline news with outrageous figures being bandied around.
“We have lost over 3,000 Fulani people, including men, women, and children, in the past 10 years. Is this not enough to tag it a Fulani genocide?” Haruna asked again.
