Member representing Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Simon Mwadkwon said Plateau has lost over 43 villages and dozens of lives in the 17 years of violence that erupted the state.
He noted that several schools particularly Government Secondary School Ropp in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area has been taken over by Fulani herdsmen for accommodation without any intervention from government authorities.
Mwadkwon disclosed this on Saturday during a press briefing in Jos and said 11 persons were killed this week in Attakar and Vett villages of of Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas.
“As we speak, Plateau is still under siege; we have lost several lives, about 43 villages have been taken over by Fulani herdsmen and over 13,000 persons have been forgotten in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.
“We have sent a reminder letter to the Office of the Vice President over the pledge of N10 billion made to resettle Internally Displaced Persons IDPs in the Plateau. We are still appealing to government to come to the aide of these people.”
Mwadkwon noted that most of the girls in the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp have been raped while others give out themselves to enable them survive as they have been forgotten in the camp.
The lawmaker lamented that several families in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom haf made effort to rebuild their houses but herdsmen come at night to destroyed them.
He called on government to recover all villages taken over forcefully by the herdsmen and return them to the villagers for peace sake.
