37-year-old Dennis Ishaku, is a sad man following the killing of his wife and three children by armed Fulani herdsmen who invaded the Jwak Maitumbi village of Mangu local government area on Friday.
According to Dennis who spoke to Plateau Watch on Tuesday, said he had gone to the popular Mangu Market on the day of the incident and on his way back home, he heard the news that the herdsmen had invaded his village.
Hear the distraught Dennis speak:
“My name is Dennis Ishaku, from Jwak Maitumbi in Mangu local government area. As I am talking to you now, I am not a happy man because those Fulani herdsmen who attacked our village on Friday killed my wife and three children.
“My wife’s name was Rhoda while my children, two girls and one boy were Plangnaan, Naomi and Longji.
“On that day, I went to Mangu Market to sell some maize and Irish potatoes but since the market was not “moving very well”, I could not sell the things on time till it was a bit late.
“After buying food items, I left Mangu around 8:30 pm but by the time I got to Sabon Gari, while waiting to take a vehicle to my village, some people came to tell us that Fulani herdsmen had entered our village and were shooting people and burning houses.
“I was worried and wanted to get home by all means but some people said I should not go so that I will not be a victim. So I went to a friend’s place in Mangu Halle but I could not sleep all through the night. I tried calling my wife and some of my brothers but unfortunately, their numbers did not go through.
“The next morning, as early as 5am, I left Mangu Halle and managed to get to my village only to realise the calamity that had befallen me.
“The first thing I noticed was that our compound and houses were burnt to ashes. I could not believe what I saw. So I went around looking for my family but I could not find anyone.
“My father, my mother, stepmother and my brothers and sisters were no where to be found. I went to the house of our village head where I found my father and other family members but when I asked for my wife and children, no one wanted to tell me anything but after asking several times, my father summoned courage to tell me that the Fulani people had killed my wife and three children while they were trying to run into the bush.
“As I am now, I am totally finished. I don’t know what to do or where to go. All I want is justice. This government has not been able to protect us. I wish it was me who was killed instead of my innocent wife and young children.
“What offence did they commit? Is it a crime to come from Plateau State? Why has Lalong not done anything to protect indigenes? What do these Fulani people want with us?”
We seeks the protection of the all seeing all knowing the Alpha and the Omega to protect the mother land and then until you equality of faith and fate, truth and truce and despises of onesided selfish post in favour of the non (if I’m to tell the truth) and the so called tribal discrimination, peace will definitely not come.