‘We called soldiers when bandits attacked, they said no fuel’ – Plateau community leader

A community leader in the Kwi District of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, John Bot, has narrated how soldiers stationed only two miles from the community failed to respond to frantic calls for assistance when Fulani terrorists laid siege on the village and killed over 25 people two weeks ago.

Bot, who narrated the horrific experience in an interview with conflict journalist, Masara Kim Usman, said when the attackers invaded the community, he made frantic calls to troops of the Operation Enduring Peace stationed close to the village, but the soldiers responded that they could not come to their rescue as they did not have fuel in their vehicles.

Bot stated that the community was devastated that the troops who were supposed to protect them against the attackers left them to face the heavily armed assailants who had a field day killing the defenseless people, including women, children, and the elderly who could not run away.

“It was pathetic and sad that during the invasion of our community by Fulani terrorists, we made frantic calls to soldiers stationed less than two miles away, but they said they could not come because they did not have fuel in their trucks,” Bot said.

“I personally called the team myself but got the same response. They refused to come, leaving us at the mercy of the terrorists who ended up killing 25 people, including a pastor, women, children and old people.

“Our village head was the first person to call the soldiers for help in the first minutes of the invasion, but the Unit Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, whose base is just outside the village, told him his trucks had no fuel, and he couldn’t come.

“But after the attack and the terrorists had safely retreated to their base, the Commander showed up with all his men, trucks, and motorcycles. So I wonder where they suddenly procured the fuel.

“I don’t want to accuse the soldiers of conniving with the terrorists, but all indications point towards such connivance,” he further stated.