Many houses were said to have been razed down when the suspected personnel of Operation Rainbow, a state security outfit went on rampage and wreak havoc in Fulani settlements in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Some herders argued that although they could not ascertain the death toll, but that there were certain killings during the mayhem in many settlements.
According to the herders, the personnel of the Operation Rainbow arrived the communities around 5am and fired gunshots sporadically, setting their houses ablaze, with an Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, behind those burning the houses.
Denying the allegation that their operatives were responsible for the destruction and killings in the community, coordinator of the security outfit, Sitdang Mungak, said that, “I was able to reach out to my operational team and there is no report that Operation Rainbow is launching any attack.
“If there is any irresponsible report reaching you, it is not our operatives. None of our Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) has been on.”
In his reaction, the state chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Nuru Abdullahi, confirmed the incident and appealed for the federal government’s intervention before things could spiral out of control.
He said that, “We strongly believe the state government cannot handle this problem. Operation Rainbow led some thugs to burn the houses, which has proven that there is a plan to chase us out of Plateau.
“Prior to today’s incident, houses of our members in Sarpal, Kombun, Rinago, Dtmirle, Kangang, Aloghom, Fongon, Bongangida, Luggere, Gaude, Jwaksham, Borwa, Luggadimesa, Tidiw, among others, were burnt.
“We are therefore, calling on President Bola Tinubu to salvage the situation.”
Another member of the affected community, who also witnessed the incident, Ibrahim Jambo, said that the security personnel burnt down houses in Changal, Kombili, Lamor, Washina, Gayam, Anguwan Baraya, Vivim communities and part of Jannaret.
Jambo gave more explanation saying that, “Our properties, including clothes, mattresses, fertiliser, food items, were burnt.
“Women and children in their numbers have fled to Gindiri and Kasuwan Ali communities to avert any unforeseen circumstances.”
The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, and that of Third Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba Barrack, Lieutenant Colonel Ishaku Sabastine Takwa, were yet to react over the development.
Recall that, in recent time, there has been crisis in many communities of Mangu Local Government Area in the last few months where more than 100 people were confirmed killed, including women and children.
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