From Olukayode Idowu
THE FICTION:
1. That the travellers were pretending to be mourners and were conveying a dead relative in a *coffin*, but when searched, weapons were found hidden in the coffin leading to the attack.
2. The travellers attacked were mercenaries hired to participate in the killing of the Irigwe people of Miango and other Plateau tribes.
3. That the attacked travellers deliberately followed Rukuba road so as to disrupt the funeral procession of the Irigwe’s, who were trekking from Plateau Hospital down to Miango in mourning mood
4. That the slained travelers were part of the “Fulani herdsmen” constantly attacking the Irigwes and other tribes in plateau State.
5. That the slained travellers had the backing of the Presidency and other security agencies, hence the swift response from both the government and the Nigeria Police Force.
THE FACTS
1. Traditionally, Muslims of the Tijjaniyya sect hold Annual Zikiri Program in the first Friday of the First Month of the Islamic Calendar to pray for peace in the country. This event attracts the sect’s adherents from all over the country.
2. Over 2,000 Irigwe able bodied men converged at Plateau Specialist Hospital on Saturday 14th to convey the corpse of their loved ones deposited at the morgue, and for reasons best known to them, felt that the best way to show their grief is to convey the dead bodies on foot from the hospital to Miango, thereby causing a gridlock along Joseph Gomwalk road, down to Gada Biyu and Rukuba Roads, causing hardship to thousands of innocent motorists plying the roads. This illegallity went on for hours unhindered by either the government, security agencies or the citizens who were made to suffer untold hardships.
3. That the illegal procession caused traffic gridlock which the travellers from Bauchi were caught in, and as they patiently waited for it to ease, they were attacked without any provocation.
4. The travellers were in five transit buses with the posters of their sect’s spiritual leader signifying they were on a religious trip, which was typical of the travelling styles of most religious organizations.
5. None of the vehicle in the convoy was searched. Rather the occupants were recorded on phone cameras being lynched using all sorts of cudgels including large and heavy stones to crush the head of those beaten to stupor to eliminate any chance of their survival.
6. That about 25 travelers were killed and their funeral rites were conducted by Muslim leaders under the watch of officials of the state government and heads of security agencies in Plateau State.
7. That the Muslim leaders acting on pleas by the state government functionaries and security agencies ensured the funeral rites were done at the premises of the Plateau State Specialist Hospital instead of the usual Jos Central Mosque in order to avoid escalation of already tensed situation. Even the actual burial was diverted from the main Muslim burial ground at Zaria Road to Dadin Kowa to hide the gruesomeness of their mutilated bodies from Muslim brethrens in Jos town to forestall any possible chaos and reprisal attempts for the unjust killings.
8. The Muslim leaders in conjunction with state government officials and security agencies spent the whole of Saturday and Sunday nights combing Rukuba road and it’s neighborhood in search of surviving travellers who had ran into the areas in search of safety during the attack. Their efforts was not in vain as over 30 people have so far being rescued and are in safe places provided by the state government.
9. That Muslim leaders in the state refrained from making unguarded utterences so as not to aggravate the already fragile security situations in Jos, knowing fully well that this attack on the innocent travelers is capable of igniting more troubles if not properly handled because it has both national and international dimensions.
CONCLUSION
Looking at the above fictions and facts, any objective, peace loving and discerning mind will judge and can tell where the problem is. Sadly, we noticed that a body like PIDAN which we thought should have outgrown pettiness and mediocre baseless propaganda, will descend so low as to dish out falsehood of enormous magnitude, which exhibits a lack of sensitivity to the plight of the citizens of the state who had previously and frequently suffered from false propaganda which had always led to loss of lives and properties.
We note with sadness that waylaying and killing of innocent travelers by member tribes of PIDAN has been a recurring decimal in Plateau State. Now we can safely conclude it has the firm endorsement of PIDAN.
Some instances here will suffice:
1. Some Muslims travellers from Ningi, in Bauchi State were waylaid and killed in Langtang North.
2. Muslims from Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno have been waylaid and killed around Riyom on several occasions.
3. Muslims traveling from Chad through Riyom were killed in 2008.
4. Major General, Alkali was gruesomely murdered simply because he is a Muslim in Dura-du, Jos South LGA.
In all these incidences, no perpetrator had been brought to Justice. The indigenous people of Plateau State most especially the so called “host communities” are always fond of rustling Fulani’s cattle and killing of defenceless herders, and when the herders decides to take laws into their hands and retaliate, as they always do, Those hostile communities will claim to be victims, change the narratives and target innocent Muslim as was the case yesterday at rukuba road.
The state and Federal Government cannot fold its arms and allow innocent Nigerians to be killed in this manner. Government must be decisive in sending a message of deterrence.
For the records, we have so far buried our brothers whose white final clothes were soaked in their blood, shed unjustly. We lower them in their graves tearfully knowing they will only get Justice from the Great Lord Who sees all and Knows all.
We will never play politics with any human life. We take our case to the Almighty believing firmly He will ultimately judge everyone.
We however call on all our members and Muslims world wide coming to Jos to avoid Gada Biyu, Rukuba Road and it’s environs at all cost. Their safety is not guaranteed as the inhabitants are now established barbarians. We still remember how they killed our Muslim brothers on Eid Day, butchered their corpses, roasted and ate it in broad daylight. They did not repent.
In the same vein, we place a trade embargo with anybody of Irigwe extraction until further notice. By this, our yam sellers at Yan Doya market should stop doing any kind of business with the Irigwes forthwith.
All our Muslim brothers and sisters should await further instructions as we urge all to remain law abiding as we await government and security agencies expected decisive action. We thank the Plateau State government and the heads of security agencies in the state for their show of sympathy throughout our trying moments.