‘Berom, Irrigwe, Others Are Fighting Baseless Wars’

From Asile Emmanuel, Jos

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State Comrade Augustine Choji Pwakim, has said most of the community clashes in Plateau are without reason.
He stated this while speaking with to journalists over the recent crisis between the Irigwe Community of Bassa LGA, the Beroms of Jos South LGA, Riyom and some part of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
According to him, “the settlers in the recent troubled regions are people that have lived together for several years without any problem. They are peasant farmers that have tried to live their lives with the little proceeds they get from their crops. So when you hear they are killing themselves, one begins to wonder what could be the reason for the hostility. Most times you laugh over it because you find out there is no meaningful reason why they pick up arms against themselves. My worries is that if there is no cause why they pick up arms against themselves, then you begin to ask yourself are we existing in illusion?”
Pwakim however stated that security meetings were in top gear with all relevant authorities especially with the Special Task Force (STF), to ensure that normalcy return to the affected areas.

Meanwhile Media and Information Officer of the STF also known as Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said the number of casualties could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report but confirmed that houses and shops where burnt. He said if not for the prompt intervention OPSH the situation would have worsen.
According to him, “OPSH are still stationed in the troubled area to prevent further spread of the crisis. We are still arresting miscreants up to this moment. We have also invited the leadership of the affected communities for dialogue.”
Captain Iweha also confirmed that the crisis was as a result of land-grabbing in preparation for the raining season farming.
Recently youths in the affected area took arms against themselves killing one another and raining terror on innocent citizens over land issues.