2 hours ago
1 ARTICLE AD
There was anxiety within the several communities attacked by gunmen in Plateau State on Wednesday as the victims and other stakeholders say they are still waiting for the release of the N10bn promised them by the Federal Government to resettle the displaced communities.
Some of the attack victims and other residents in the affected communities who spoke with Arewa PUNCH in Jos lamented the non release of the funds meant for the resettlement of the displaced communities, even more than six years after the promise was made by the Federal Government.
The displeased residents also expressed concern that the non-release of the fund has impacted negatively on their lives.
Arewa PUNCH recalls that between June 23 and 24, 2018, gunmen attacked several communities in Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State and killed over 200 persons.
The attack, which left many properties worth millions of naira destroyed, also leftover 17,000 residents displaced.
Following the attack, which sparked a national outrage and wide condemnation, the Federal
The government through the then Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, visited the affected communities and promised to give N10bn for the rehabilitation of the affected communities and the displaced victims.
However, speaking with the Arewa PUNCH in Jos, the National President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Solomon Dalyop, who confirmed the non-release of the N10bn to the displaced communities, described the development as “regrettable.”
The National President said, “I can tell you that the N10bn promised by the Federal Government for the rehabilitation of the attacked communities and the victims has not been released. It’s rather unfortunate that the money has not been redeemed more than six years after the Federal Government, through the then Vice President, made the promise.
“As an association, we have written several letters to the Presidency reminding it of the need to fulfil the promise and drawing its attention to the worsening plight and condition of the victims, but up till now, there has been no response from the Presidency. Honestly, we don’t know what to do again,” he cried out.
Another youth leader in Plateau North, John Dabi, who also bemoaned the plight of the attacked victims stressed, “We don’t know what the government wants the suffering victims to do by not making the rehabilitation fund available as we speak. But now, that we have a Minister of Humanitarian Affairs who is from Plateau State, we hope something will be done and we still want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to remember the plight of the victims and do something because the victims have been patient and the redemption of the money is long overdue.”
It was gathered that the Plateau State Government had initially set up a committee to oversee the resettlement of the displaced persons, but the lack of funding hindered the efforts.
A member of the committee who does not want his name in print expressed his frustration, saying, “We’ve done our part, but the Federal Government’s promise has not been fulfilled. The displaced persons are still living in temporary shelters, struggling to make ends meet.”
One of the affected communities is the village of Gashish, where over 500 people were forced to flee their homes.
An elder in the community, Joseph Bitrus, recounted the horrors of the attack, “We lost everything – our homes, our livestock, our livelihoods. The government promised to help us rebuild, but we’re still waiting.
“The N10 billion would have gone a long way in stimulating our economic growth in the state. Instead, we’re struggling to fund our own projects.
“As the years go by, the displaced communities are losing hope. We’ve been living in this temporary shelter for six years now. My children are growing up without a proper home. I fear for their future.
“The Federal Government’s failure to fulfil its promise has raised questions about its commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Plateau State,” he pointed out.
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had repeatedly appealed to the Federal Government and other stakeholders to assist the attack victims in rebuilding their lives.
In a recent speech, when a delegation from the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Jos, the state capital, the governor said, “One of the greatest needs for us now is how to move our people out of the Internally Displaced Persons camps, back to their settlement.
“We are trusting God that before the rains set in, we will be able to move, if not all, a substantial number. That means that we have to provide security, rebuild their homes, and give them some economic empowerment so that they can be able to settle back into their communities.
“Truth is, most of our people that have been dislocated, they are not used to begging nor receiving alms, they feel more fulfilled when they are doing something for themselves.
“So, many of them are passing through a mental torture of having to stay in IDP camps.
“We appreciate all the assistance that is coming, but the way our people are wired is that they take pride in labouring with their hands.
“And that is why we are determined by God’s grace to make sure that we facilitate their return to their ancestral homes.
“So this is a kind of cooperation and collaboration we seek to build in the coming days, and see how God will help us to do that.”
The Senior Special Assistant on Media, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, was not readily available when contacted on the matter as his phone line indicated that it was switched off.
