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Gyang Bere, Jos
Women and children in Hukke Community of Miango District in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday night fled their homes following the attack by Fulani bandits on women during communal palliative farm work in the early hours of the day.
The villagers fled their homes for fear of being killed due to misunderstanding that led to the destruction of about 80 hectares of farmland with crops in Hukke village by the Fulani herdsmen.
The farmland which was cultivated by Miango Youth Development Association, was to assist Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were displaced from their ancestral homes by suspected Fulani bandits.
The women, who arrived the maize and soyabeans farm on Monday at about 10:00am for weeding, made over 200 hundred cows grazing mercilessly in the about 80 hectares of farmland.
It was gathered that few men among the women summon courage to chased out the cattle from the farm but were resisted by gunshots which attracted the personnel of the Special Tasks Force, Operation Safe Haven to the scene.
Chairman, Miango Youth Development Association, Nuhu Yakubu confirmed that the Fulani bandits exchanged dual gunshots with the Military when they arrived the scene to calm the situation.
He said a Mobile Police Officer attached to the STF slumped due to heavy gun sound and later died in the hospital.
Yakubu said; “The Fulani herdsmen attack our women who were working on a palliatives farm lands to assist Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the communities.
“The attackers destroyed crops worth N7. 5 million, whisked away with 4 motorcycles, 20 backs of Fertilizer. The 20 bags of Fertilizer was recovered with two motorcycles. The motorcycles belonging to John Bulus, Nuhu Bitrus, Ishaya Gado and Xhyongo Nebanat. Two of the Motorcycles are yet to be recovered and as we speak, women and children flee the community last night for fear of attack.”
Yakubu explained that the Military arrested the cows and took them to the sector Command which took the owners four hours to come for claims.
“About 80 hectares of farmland with crops was destroyed after applying fertilizer, cows were grazing freely inside the farm land; children and wemen fled the village last night for fear of Fulani attacks.
“We don’t want more causalities, we have had enough, we has loss so many people, we have been displaced from our homes, all we want now is peace.” He stated.
The Spokesman of the Special Tasks Force (STF), Operation Safe Haven Major Ibrahim Shittu said he is not aware of the incident.
He promised to verify from the personnel on ground and to make his findings public.
