Nasarawa used to be one of the most peaceful
states in Nigeria where people from various
tribes lived together, inter-married, and shared
common beliefs and customs. However, recent events have proved that the
state has sadly joined the league of states with
records of communal violence. Apart from the persistent clashes between
farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the Southern
Senatorial District of the state resulting in the
destruction of lives and properties worth
billions of naira, Nasarawa has recorded ethnic
clashes involving Assakio, Obi and Odobu communities in Lafia local government area. The September Assakio crisis, no doubt, threw
citizens of the state into confusion and, of
course, it was a rude shock when the Eggon
ethnic group and their Alago counterparts who
have lived together for years woke up one day
in September and began destroying lives and properties. The situation has inevitably left
thousands displaced who found refuge in
camps across Nasarawa.
The condition of the Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) in some of the camps visited by
our correspondent is deplorable. Mostly women
and children, they suffer untold hardship due
to the poor health condition, lack of food and
sleeping arrangement and no medical attention. There is also the fear of possible
attack by assailants as there is no security. Some of the IDPS at Agyaragu and Kadarko
camps in Jenkwe development area claimed to
have been there for the past two years. One of
them, Mrs. Paulina Adanyi, said she had been in
the Agyaragu camp for two years as a result of
the fight between Fulanis and Aghatus in Ekye development area in the state in 2012. Mrs. Adanyi, in her mid 60s, expressed
bitterness over the ethnic conflicts that
continue to ravage the state. “I don’t know why
Nasarawa State has turned to killing fields
where blood is shed on daily basis and houses
destroyed leaving many homeless”, she lamented. According to her, government has never done
anything to cater for the displaced people until
Governor Almakura, on his visit to the IDPs in
the camps following recent conflicts, gave
them some relief materials. She called on
government to look into the plight of the displaced people and give them with adequate
attention. Jijah Moses, a victim of one of the recent
conflicts, told Sunday Vanguard in the Kadarko
camp that he had nothing anymore as all his
belongings were burnt alongside his family
house in Keana during the conflict. “This dress
you see on me is all I have”, he said. He pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians and international
organizations to come to their aid because the
state government alone cannot handle the
situation. Hon. Kwatse Nicolas said seven
women had child delivery in the Agyaragu camp
under poor medical care. As peace is beginning to return to some of the
troubled places, Almakura has ordered that the
displaced people in Namu, Quan Pan local
government area of Plateau State be evacuated
back to their homes. On Wednesday, the
Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) evacuated over 100
refugees who are mainly youths and men from
Namu to Asakio. They are presently being
camped at the local government secretariat as
there are no houses for them.
states in Nigeria where people from various
tribes lived together, inter-married, and shared
common beliefs and customs. However, recent events have proved that the
state has sadly joined the league of states with
records of communal violence. Apart from the persistent clashes between
farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the Southern
Senatorial District of the state resulting in the
destruction of lives and properties worth
billions of naira, Nasarawa has recorded ethnic
clashes involving Assakio, Obi and Odobu communities in Lafia local government area. The September Assakio crisis, no doubt, threw
citizens of the state into confusion and, of
course, it was a rude shock when the Eggon
ethnic group and their Alago counterparts who
have lived together for years woke up one day
in September and began destroying lives and properties. The situation has inevitably left
thousands displaced who found refuge in
camps across Nasarawa.
The condition of the Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) in some of the camps visited by
our correspondent is deplorable. Mostly women
and children, they suffer untold hardship due
to the poor health condition, lack of food and
sleeping arrangement and no medical attention. There is also the fear of possible
attack by assailants as there is no security. Some of the IDPS at Agyaragu and Kadarko
camps in Jenkwe development area claimed to
have been there for the past two years. One of
them, Mrs. Paulina Adanyi, said she had been in
the Agyaragu camp for two years as a result of
the fight between Fulanis and Aghatus in Ekye development area in the state in 2012. Mrs. Adanyi, in her mid 60s, expressed
bitterness over the ethnic conflicts that
continue to ravage the state. “I don’t know why
Nasarawa State has turned to killing fields
where blood is shed on daily basis and houses
destroyed leaving many homeless”, she lamented. According to her, government has never done
anything to cater for the displaced people until
Governor Almakura, on his visit to the IDPs in
the camps following recent conflicts, gave
them some relief materials. She called on
government to look into the plight of the displaced people and give them with adequate
attention. Jijah Moses, a victim of one of the recent
conflicts, told Sunday Vanguard in the Kadarko
camp that he had nothing anymore as all his
belongings were burnt alongside his family
house in Keana during the conflict. “This dress
you see on me is all I have”, he said. He pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians and international
organizations to come to their aid because the
state government alone cannot handle the
situation. Hon. Kwatse Nicolas said seven
women had child delivery in the Agyaragu camp
under poor medical care. As peace is beginning to return to some of the
troubled places, Almakura has ordered that the
displaced people in Namu, Quan Pan local
government area of Plateau State be evacuated
back to their homes. On Wednesday, the
Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) evacuated over 100
refugees who are mainly youths and men from
Namu to Asakio. They are presently being
camped at the local government secretariat as
there are no houses for them.
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