Agabus Pwanagba: Plateau crisis – Military task force and 10 years burden of search for peace
such problems since the outbreak of hostilities on 7th of September, 2001, in the city of Jos and other communities in the state.
Houses and places of worship were torched and razed down; innocent people were hounded, hacked to death or maimed on account of belonging to a particular faith. But shortly after the intervention of the military, traumatized citizens of the state, especially Jos and environs, began to castigate the military for alleged complicity, especially as they accuse them of partisan conducts in favour of certain parties in the conflict.
The Military under the command of the GOC was among other things accused of attacking target populations in their homes, with many of such people shot dead in their homes despite their adherence to the then 24 hour curfew declared by the State Government. “On our way out, at the gate of the headquarters, some soldiers asked us to run. When we took off, they opened fire. Bala fell a few meters from the gate and was later confirmed death”, he explained.
Over the years, it was strongly alleged that the military task force was polarized along religious lines leading to mutual suspicion amongst the military as well as the civil society. The Dyemburuk [Dogo- Nahauwa] killings of hundreds of women and children a border community between Jos South and Barkin Ladi LGAs on March 7th, 2010, was attributed to the lackadaisical attitude of the armed forces who were said to have been informed handy before the attack was orchestrated.
Its not surprising when the Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District and Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Istifanus Gyang in February, 2020 reiterated the calls he and other stakeholders have been making, that there will never be forgiveness without restitution if true reconciliation is to be achieved in Plateau North.
However, with relative peace and reconciliatory efforts underway, hence the call for restitution by the lawmaker. The military were accused of compromise, as reports have it that, it was the taskforce personnel that ask the aforementioned victims to go and stay in a particular place for safety, before they were attacked and killed.
Several of such allegations have been made against the military task force over the years; but unfortunately nothing concrete has come from the authorities.There are also allegations that once they are removed from a particular community, assailants begin to attack the area. However the opinion of people in Jos and its environs about the role of the military taskforce in restoring peace onMallam Sani Musa, a resident of Ali Kazaure street in Jos North LGA said he was very pleased with the military taskforce in the town.
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