…Woman gives birth while hiding from attackers
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The weeklong raid on Mangu communities by suspected Fulani mercenaries has brought untold hardship and agony to survivors, who are currently nursing wounds, depressed with fresh memories of the unfortunate attacks after years of peaceful living.
Daily Sun interacted with some of the survivors, who recounted their ugly experiences and frustration in what they said it could have been averted by any serious government.
Mama Ruth Panan, who is in her mid 60s, hails from Kantoma village of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, which is one of the attacked villages. She recalled how she and her grandchildren scampered for safety when the attackers descebded heavily on their community and killed scores.
She said: “Seriously, the Fulani people attacked us, we don’t even know what is the reason. We were just in our homes when we heard the Fulanis started shooting and I had to start running helter-skelter alongside my grandchildren, looking for where to hide and with the help of God we escape, but so many of our community members were killed. We don’t know the whereabouts of other members of the community who might be fortunate to have survive the attack also like us.
“We have been living peacefully with Fulanis for so many years without any problem that were beyond resolving, especially distruction of farmland. But these set of Fulani that came and attacked us, we have never seen them.
“Before these attacks, we started witnessing massive destruction of our farm crops in the dry season this year whenever we farm tomatoes, papper, cabbage among other crops. They entered the farms, bragging and telling us that they will soon kick us out of the world.
“We never took such utterances serious. We were thinking it was a joke until we started hearing rumours of possible attacks. At some point, we felt it was the usual rumours until the Fulanis finally attacked us.
“Even when the attack was on going, we had no any help from any security agency. It was God that brought us out of that horror to this place. See me here with my daughter-in-laws and grandchildren. Sixteen of us in this small room,” she stated with a cracked voice.
The woman expressed reservation about government’s will and desire to help them in their most trying time. “Government do help people? If government can help, then it should have done that before this thing happened.
“There were a lot of outcry that there were threats of possible attacks but they did not take any measure. If they will help us, fine. We are here we don’t have accommodation, feeding is a problem. We don’t have even the resources to attend to any of our needs,” she lamented.
Mr. Nandom Panan also recalled how himself and his brothers escaped from the sporadic shooting by the attackers, adding that the Fulani merceneries surrounded their village unknown to them before they wreaked havoc on their community.
He said: “It was raining that faithful day. Unknown to us, the attackers had surrounded our village and everybody was at home. We suddenly heard sporadic gun shots by the Fulanis immediately after the rain stopped.
“We were just running from one point to the other; it was a matter of your ability to run very well out of the village. We got a hint that there will be an attack, so we were able to move women and children in the morning of that day leaving only the men. So when the attackers came, they met mostly the men and they killed 30 of our people.”
He said if government did not take serious steps in ending the crisis, he foresees hunger next year, considering how Mangu Local Government Area is known for its agricultural output, especially maize.
“I want to call on government and the security agencies to put an end to these attacks so that we can all go back to our communities and farm. The farming season is already at hand, and let me tell you, so many us in our community have bought fertilizers and we are set for this year’s farming but did you know that these killers destroyed some of the fertilizers and in some cases burnt everything.
“So, I’m just wondering what we are going to do. Even if we are going back, where are we going to see money to buy fertilizer again. Every source of our economy were burnt, food in their bans were burnt some destroyed, people are scattered at the moment, proper statistics must be taken to ensure that victims are well captured,” he stated
There is also a case of a pregnant woman who gave birth while hiding from the attackers in Mararaban-Kantoma village. The parents declined to speaking to The Sun due to trauma.
However, Nankwat Kinya told The Sun Newspaper how the woman in question, who is her brother’s wife, gave birth while hiding from the attackers inside heavy downpour. “Amidst the tension in Mangu, my brother’s wife gave birth around 3am where they went to hide.
“While coming back with the baby, she found the whole village upsidedown inside heavy rain with a baby that is not up to a day. That’s how she ran with this newborn inside rain. To the glory of God, she wasn’t harmed. May God heal our land,” she said:
Meanwhile the member-elect for Mangu South in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Bala N. Fwangje, became the first politician to have made a step by providing some food items to people affected by the serial attacks in Mangu LGA of the State currently camping at Maraban-Kantoma and the National Secretariat of Mwagavul Development Association (MDA) Mangu respectively.
Bala donated 25 bags of maize, 10 bags of rice, 10 bags of salt, five bags of detergent and five cartons of noodles to the displaced persons and appeal to well meaning Nigerians to support the IDPs.