More than a week ago, two ethnic militia – Alago and Eggo – in Obi Local Government Area, different communities in Nasarawa State have been unleashing mutual destructions and unspeakable shedding of blood. According to reports, the violence was so fierce and gory that communities were razed by irate youths. Hundreds of peasants were rendered homeless thereby causing major humanitarian crises for those who have been displaced.
The storyline on the cause of the conflict is not quite clear but from sketches, a sharp misunderstanding had ensued between the two ethnic groups that led to the arrest of Eggon youths by Alagon youths at Obi, headquarters of Obi Local Government with the support of security men. The arrest was said to have been hinged on a tip-off alleging that those arrested had been armed and were on an undefined sinister mission at the latter’s communities. On hearing what happened to their kinsmen, the former quickly mobilised its youths for reprisal action by hostage taking. Series of reaction would later spark-off counter attacks that snowballed and spread to other communities.
Since the second quarter of this year, Nasarawa State has been attracting uncomplimentary media attention on account of senseless killings of innocent people and destruction of properties by militia groups. In May, dozens of operatives comprising SSS, Police and Military were ambushed and killed by the Ombatse militia. Scores of people were wounded, security vehicles and some persons were burnt to ashes among other countless casualties.
The state government, as well as some prominent indigenes of the state have been expressing concerns over this development. While Governor Tanko Al-Makura had called on the Federal Government to intervene, Senator Suleiman Adokwe representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District drew public attention to the fact that if the state is not secure, it will affect the Federal Capital Territory because the two share boundary. Of course, he was right.
Sure, there are a lot of reasons to worry about the frequent crisis in Nasarawa State. Though the recent crisis has attracted reasonable attention, especially with the deployment of troops to the troubled areas in order to restore peace and order, fundamental questions are still being asked: Where is the report of the Ombatse Crisis? Why is nothing being done about the ugly incident that snuffed lives out of the nation’s security personnel who were on national assignment? Why does government continue to play politics with the lives of its citizens this way? For instance, instead of advocating for thorough investigations into problems with a view to finding lasting solution to it, opposition parties are mischievously calling for the removal of Labaran Maku, Minister of Information and the Supervising Minister of Ministry of Defence. It is therefore our candid view that until relevant authorities summon the required political will to deal with the problems; it will persist at the detriment of innocent lives.