The National leadership of Irigwe Development Association has announced that the mass burial of victims killed between 29th July and 9th August, 2021 at Nche-Tahu village by suspected Fulani militias, will be held on Saturday August 14.

A statement signed by Davidson Malison, the National Publicity Secretary, IDA, said corpses will be conveyed from Plateau Specialist Hospital Jos by 7:30am to LEA Primary School Kitago Miango for funeral service at 9:30am. Final internment will be held at Kperi just after the Kwall/Miango Bridge.

At least 29,804 Irigwes that have been displaced, about 55 people injured and 70 people killed in the recent attacks and sacking of several hamlets in Jebbu Miango, Irigwe chiefdoms of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

When Arewa Voice visited the communities on Thursday, the entire Jebbu Miango and other adjourning communities were deserted.

Women and girls need sanitary wares, while medical interventions are also needed to prevent outbreak of diseases. The sanitary conditions of the people camped in available spaces in the Miango and Kwall districts of the chiefdom require also immediate intervention.

At the ECWA, Bishara1, Miango and the palace of the Brra Nggwe Rigwe (Paramount Ruler of Irigwe), Ronku Aka where some of the displaced persons were seen, they appealed for urgent help from all people of goodwill, claiming that they had been abandoned by the government.

One of the victims, Martha Avia, said that she had been left with no shelter, food or accommodation after the latest devastating attack on her community and the burning of he home and means of livelihood.

“We don’t even have the means to go home and where to lay our heads if we eventually find our way home because of the rising security threats along the way,” she said.

Monday Garba, Ward Head, Mararaba Tipper, Jebbu Miango, stated: “We want government to assist us, compel the security to act because all our farms are destroyed by Fulani herdsmen. Even in the night or afternoon, you see cattle grazing on our crops. This evil practice must stop.”

Another victim, Monday Hodus, said: “They attacked and burnt down the whole Jebbu-Miango community killing many of its inhabitants in addition to destroying our farmlands.”

Gastro Barry, Chairman Relief and Intervention Committee, who narrated the series of attacks in the chiefdom since 2001 stated:

“This year, 2021, it took an entirely different dimension. As I am talking to you now, about 39 communities have been displaced, over 70 have been killed with 55 people injured and hospitalized. The number of farmed crops destroyed is close to 3,000.

“The number of residential rooms, exclusive of food barns, kitchens and stores destroyed is over 3,000. A lot of displaced persons are taking refuge in Miango and in Kwall district of the chiefdom. A few have moved to Jos and Bukuru. Because this thing happened so sudden, they could not move out foodstuff, clothing so families are struggling to feed.

“Some people sustained gunshot injuries and are in hospitals, bills need to be settled, they need medical attention. Issue of accommodation is also a challenge. We have not received any support from government. We pleaded with the clinics to bear with us.”