The leadership of the Mwaghavul Development Association, MDA, on behalf of the indigenes of Mangu Local Government Area, LGA, of Plateau State, have appealed to Fulani herders to stop ongoing destruction of farmlands and crops in the villages of Mangu LGA.
MDA is the umbrella body of the predominant tribe in the Mangu LGA.
They have been lamenting the destruction of crops in the area for weeks with the latest being the Monday night destruction of yet-to-be harvested maize farms in Ruff, Kombun District of the area.
MDA National Secretary, Dr. Solomon Mangvwat, who spoke on behalf of the victims of the destroyed farms, told Vanguard in Jos that “What we know is that cows have been going into people’s farms to eat the crops recently around Ruff in Kombun. We have had cases in Pushit, Mangu, Panyam and so on. These are the challenges we are being faced with. The herders will even cut down the crops
“We are compiling the costs of the destruction in monetary value; a lot of villages have been affected, and with what is happening, people have been chased out and few farms that were cultivated are being eaten up by cows. So, I see the damage running into hundreds of millions of Naira and we foresee hunger in the land by next year.
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“The Governor directed that farms be cultivated, and it is a good development, but we have the fears that unless the security men are stationed in the communities, not just coming in and going out, they must go in and ensure that the bandits are flushed out and allow the people to settle.
“It is not easy, houses have been burnt down but one clear thing is that when the people are assured that they can go back and take care of their farms, that in it are measures of security. We have tried having peace meetings with the Fulanis but each time we hold a meeting, that same night or the next day, they will attack so that kind of engagement to us does not have much assurance.
“We prefer a situation where government will enforce the peace by ensuring that those villages are safe for people to return and farm. This is a healing process, many have lost almost everything but if they have hoped that they can go back and pick up their lives again, it would be easier for someone to commence the healing process and even forgive.”
However, the State Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Nuru Abdullahi, said: “For a long time, it has been alleged that Fulani did this and Fulani did that. Any single thing, they allege they suspect herdsmen, be it robbery, kidnapping, killing, destruction of farm crops, whatever. If it is bad, they allege it is Fulani, if it is good, nobody will say anything.”