CLAIMS AND COUNTER CLAIMS ON THE RUKUBA ROAD KILLINGS, AS TEN CHRISTIANS KILLED IN REPRAISALS
On coming into the premises of the hospital, NewsGate Magazine noticed the presence of dead bodies separated into two groups of six corpses each.
On interrogation, it was learnt that twelve corpses were found around Brithway area of Rukuba Road in five coaster buses . The corpses became thirteen before the crew left the hospital with about five persons transferred to Ola Hospital and Bingham Hospital respectively, as directed by the SGS, Prof. Danladi Atu and the Operation Save Heaven Commander and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigeria Army, Major General Ibrahim Salau Ali Supervising.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edward Ebuka also was there, directing his staff to escort victims to various hospitals in the state as JUTH and Plateau Hospital Resident Doctors were on strike. In fact, the absence of the Resident Doctors accounted for the death of more victims as the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Philemon Golwa and a few Doctors and Nurses were on hand to assist victims who need urgent and essential services. Jat HotNews investigations reveal claims that people around Rukuba Road became suspicious and afraid when they saw five strange coaster buses loaded with people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on an undisclosed mission, considering the recent attack on the people of Miango and villages of Bassa LGA where over 70 people lost their lives and about 5000 houses burnt down.
Investigations also revealed that persons around Rukuba claimed to have heard that they were Fulani’s and they became suspicious and when they further inquired on why they were asking for Miango, the Fulanis became afraid and started running helter,skelter, which led to their pursuit and harming them. There was also the claim that they were having arms and ammunitions in their vehicles, which is yet to be verified by security agencies who came to return normalcy in the area.
Another claim that the Fulani’s were from Bauchi and on their way to Ondo was punctured by respondents who felt the road out of Jos was Bauchi Road, Terminus, Dadn kowa, Mararaban Jamaa to Riyom and not Rukuba road where everyone knows that the Rafiki road is very dangerous with daily attacks.
The fluctuating number of deaths is another conflicting claim as some people were saying there were 20 deaths, the police is saying 22 deaths and some people are saying 32 with others still claiming 33 persons died as a result of the Rukuba Road skirmishes.
On Sunday 15th August, 2021 it was reported that about 9 Christians were murdered in what seems like a reprisal attack. It was claimed that 3 students from the University of Jos dropped at Terminus in the morning were killed by Muslim youths instantly, a lady, Doris Bitrus Dalyop, was killed on her way to church, with her dead body picked by security agents, Fangmun was killed at Farin Gada on their way to Bauchi with others seriously wounded,one person was also killed at Yan Trailer area and another around ECWA Good News Church around terminus area.Cases of silent killings abound,hence, the imposition of the curfew.
To stem this selective killings in areas that are either predominantly Christian or Muslims,the Plateau State Government imposed a curfew from 6pm to 6am initially in Jos North, Jos South, Bassa LGAs and later to increase the timing for Jos North from 2pm 15th August, 2021 to 16thAugust, 2021.
The State and the Federal Governments have earlier condemned the killings, which has set back the peace process of the Plateau Peace Building Agency.
In condemning the attacks, the Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Mr. Enoch Fanmak urged all to give peace a chance and the security agencies to without delay, apprehend and bring to book perpetrators of the evil act.
Dr. Patrick Sunday Dakum, the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology, Abuja-Nigeria calls on all Nigerians to pray for Plateau State over the recent killings and destructions in the State over the recent killings and destructions in the state.
The Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN) condemn the attacks on law abiding citizens but take exception to the statement credited to the PPRO of the Police Command in Plateau State on the unfortunate incident at Rukuba Road purported to have been carried out by Irigwe youths and there mourners.
Gyang Dung Gyang described the killing of the Doris Bitrus Dalyop, a one hundred level of the University of Jos at Bauchi Junction on her way to church as a black Sunday and that may her killers not know peace until they confess.
The Irigwe youths in condemning the barbaric act in Rukuba road, refuted the report by the Daily Trust of Sunday 15th August, 2021 which said “Irigwe Youths kill 25 fulani travelers in Jos over 50 missing”.They questioned the quick arrival of Daily Trust in knowing the ethnic and religious identity of the perpetrators if not out to cause mischief, incitement, instigation of trouble against the already killed, maimed and destroyed race. Gurumural George Logjan feels if Plateau does not tell its story, they shouldn’t expect the Daily Trust, BBC and NTA to tell Plateau’s story.
Mannji Cishaks asked pertinent questions that now Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi Usman Bauchi has gone to see President Muhammadu Buhari on behalf of the Muslims, who will see the President on behalf of the Christians killed last week and today Sunday 15th August, 2021?
Chief Amos Gizo, Chairman of the Plateau Publishers Association also joins others in condemning the killings and urged all for restraints so that we can all live in peace.
Rev. Polycarp Lubo, the Chairman of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) in a press statement also condemned the killings in Jos North, Basssa, Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs.
The University of Jos suspended the second semester 2019/2020 Academic session Examination following the unfortunate security breach and the 24 hours curfew imposed on Jos North LGA,they equally condemned the killings
The claim that people killed were from, Ondo thus the names should have been Yoruba names, Sule Akaji, Bauchi Mallam Ahmadu, Malam Ahmadu, Siddi Abubakar, Abdilkarrim Muminni, Mallam Suleiman Haliliu, Mallam Muhammadu, Mallam Bello Ori, Mallam Abdulkarim, Itadimin Mallam Musashehu, Alh. Muhammadu Lawal, Alh. Rugga, Baa Alhaji Bayo, Gambo Alhaji Baido, Ibrahim Haruna, Mallam Muhammad II , Salihu Hunter, Yakubu Mallam Bello, Mallam Ishaku, four unidentified others contradicts the claim that they are from Ondo State. Why didn’t the Daily Trust and Government label the killers as bandits but as Irigwe youths?Why is one of the dead called a hunter?Is he here to hunt humans?
In a counter claim at what happened at Rukuba Road, pertinent questions begging for answers were posed by respondents that Akeredolu should prove that those attacked are from Ondo State and not mercenaries hired to inflict harm on the people of Plateau State,as there are letters by Boko Haram to kidnap students from the University of Jos and kill anyone in their way? Does Ondo state have fulanis as indigenes? Why were those fulanis said were suspected to be bearing arms and ammunitions in their vehicles? Why were journalists asking questions in Plateau Hospital stopped from interviewing the surviving fulanis but must talk to only one man from Jos? Why did the five coaster buses followed by volatile area and unpopular routes as well as asking suspicious questions? Why were they travelling on the route where irigwe were using to mourn and bury their departed colleagues? Why were they asking for the way leading to Miango? Were they hired killers? Until these questions and many other questions are answered, respondents feel there is more to Rukuba killings, arrests and insecurity, than meets the eye.
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