Again, bandits kill 19 Irigwe natives in Kaduna

• Plateau seeks collaboration against insecurity
• HURIWA alleges Presidency unwilling to curb herders’ attacks

Irigwe Development Association (IDA) in Plateau State has stated that suspected Fulani militias, on Tuesday, killed no fewer than 19 Irigwe indigenes residing in Kajuru Local Council of Kaduna State.

According to a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of IDA, Davidson Malison, the villages came under heavy attack about 5:00p.m. on Tuesday and lasted for more than five hours, and in the process, 19 natives of Irigwe in Bassa Local Council of Plateau State were killed.

The association added that while houses with food and other valuables were vandalised and razed, many natives sustained injuries and others still missing.

“No doubt that it was a coordinated attack to achieve the expansionist agenda and the total annihilation of Irigwe people, irrespective of where they live,” Malison said.

He explained that six were killed in Angwan Magaji, 11 killed at Angwan Rimi, 90-year-old Garba Aku and Wula Danlandi were killed at Angwan Kitakum and Kwall District of Bassa Local Council of Plateau.

MEANWHILE, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has said that his administration is willing to enter into any partnership that will curb insecurity in the state.

He stated this yesterday while hosting the Republic of Korea Ambassador, Kim Young-Chae, who visited Government House, Rayfield, Jos. Represented by his deputy, Sonni Tyoden, the governor said, with its high-tech economy, South Korea could provide certain technological tools and applications that could be deployed towards addressing the security challenges in the state.

Speaking earlier, Young-Chae said he was at the Government House to let the governor know the Korean government’s presence in the state through the University of Jos (NIJOS) and to explore ways that the embassy could collaborate with the state government in the areas of sports, education, culture and tourism.

“Already, the embassy has initiated steps towards establishing sports centres across the six geo-political zones in the country. Plateau was targeted because of its huge potential in producing sports talent. The collaboration will boost the state’s economy, the envoy added.

HUMAN Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has knocked the Presidency over alleged unwillingness to stop Fulani herders from attacking indigenous farmers.

A statement, yesterday, in Abuja, by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, alleged that the impression being created by the Presidency of farmers-herders clashes in the country was false, as Fulani herders were the ones attacking aboriginal dwellers and farmers in the North Central, South West, South East and South South.

The group also accused the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) of working alongside the Presidency to sweep the case of a notorious Fulani herder, Iskilu Wakilu, under the carpet.

Recall that Wakilu was arrested in March 2021 by the Oodua People Congress (OPC) for allegedly terrorising, killing, kidnapping, raping and displacing innocent farmers in the Ibarapa and Oke Ogun area of Oyo State.

The septuagenarian was arraigned at the Iyaganku Chief Magistrate Court in Oyo for conspiracy, murder, kidnapping and armed robbery, remanded him at the Abolongo Correctional facility and forgot the case, HURIWA stated.