The late ex-lawmaker, Sunday Muchen
By Prof Slim Matawal
I am compelled to write this short memorial in respect of Hon Sunday Muchen to show respect to his sacrifice but also very importantly, to tell the public what predicaments we are going through in Bokkos LGA in the hands of Fulani herdsmen.
2. As a matter of fact, I cannot claim to know the deceased very well to make any statements about him. On the one hand, I think there is a big age disparity between us and at the time we grew up at home, he probably was not yet born or too small for us to know him. On the other hand, the circumstances of his death require a deeper interest and therefore his departure is of public interest to us as Bokkos and Plateau people. But I also knew him just fairly, he showed me tremendous respect and looked like a gentleman to me.
3. I learned that he had relocated back to his Village called Mahurum and was engaged in farming activities. This is frightening to most of us who have huge farmlands back home that we believe we must till every year. SECRET No.1: The Fulani do not want our type back to the land which they dream of controlling. Therefore they kidnapped Hon Sunday Muchen over two weeks ago and though ransoms may have been paid, went Head to kill him. This is an ultimate price to pay for utmost responsibility by Hon Sunday Muchen of blessed memory, his Soul RIP.
4. This draws me to the predicament of the Bokkos people in their fight against Fulani herdsmen. In this week Fulani and their cows have swamped the entire Bokkos LGA from borders with Mangu LGA into Barkin Ladi and everywhere surrounding Bokkos town itself. It is indeed very sad development considering that barely 2 months ago, from 22nd-25th Dec. 2023, Fulani herdsmen constituted themselves into merchants of death and massacred about 250 of our kith and kin. They then fled to where we don’t know and now they are back in drones and swarms. Bokkos people are entitled to the attention and protection of our Plateau brothers and sisters through whatever political, administrative, logistical and security apparels available.
5. As Bokkos people, it is very painful to us and the designs of these Fulani herdsmen are not hidden. They have constituted an army of armed men who patrol with guns the presence of their cows wherever they wish to go for grazing in Bokkos lands. Dry season gardening and irrigation thrives in Bokkos and these cows have currently destroyed all the dry season maize and potatoes our people invested their energy and resources to cultivate. In one location Lone, there are iver 1000 cows being guarded by the mighty power of the Military STF in Bokkos.
6. To the credit of the Military, Bokkos people are currently absolutely satisfied with the Lt. Colonel Sector Commander of STF in Bokkos. But beneath him are his lieutenants as follows:
(i) The STF Operations Commander is Fulani
(ii) The Special Intervention Forces Officer sent after the crises is Fulani.
(iii) The SIIB Officer of the STF is Fulani
(iv) A 4th critical Officer is Fulani.
In fact, it has reached a crescendo where military personnel escort Fulani and their cows wherever they wish to go and graze. Maybe we need emphasize that Bokkos is not Fulani enclave and these herdsmen displaced from Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bassa and Mangu do not belong here and the and cannot take them because Bokkos people are intensive farmers and live all their livelihoods on farm products. The government must take an vital interest in this matter.
7. As this write-up is being jotted down, we are aware that Fulani herdsmen are making concerted efforts along the entire borders of Bokkos and Mangu to start grazing back in Mangu LGA. In the week, we learnt there were exchanges of gunfire at the border with Fulanis heavily armed trying to reach some villages. So what is the matter with enacting an ‘ANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAW’ for Plateau state? Must it be legitimate for Fulani to traverse into any land they wish and stay on whosoever land they wish by force? This is the enigma on the Plateau that up to date, we do not have an ‘ANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAW’. Now the Fulani herdsmen have strategized that any reasonable indigene who wants to go back home and stay or farm is a risk to their land grabbing agenda and must be kidnapped and killed. In fact in the week, they even went to the lands with their ‘Mallams’ said to be from Saudi Arabia who were seen planting charms in the lands and farms of Ron and Mwaghavul people.
8. In the week, Fulani herdsmen traversed every land in Bokkos LGA accompanied by soldiers in some instances and being guarded by armed Fulani militia in most of the other instances. Where are thes Fulani from and what rights do they have to encroach on our lands and community privacies? Why are they armed and why are the security authorities not tKing charge to disarm them? They have no rights to our lands and must live immediately; the rainy season is round the corner and our land is not even enough for our farming, let alone share with a wandering race that is being rejected from the Mediterranean down to the Atlantic coast of West Africa.
9. In conclusion, while condoling the family of Late Hon Sunday Muchen, we want to emphasize that he was kidnapped and murdered by Fulani herdsmen because being back home and engaging in farming means diametrically opposed to their land grabbing antics, designs and plans. We do not need Fulani in Bokkos LGA, there was a nefarious social media that our leaders met and permitted Fulani to return and this is False and only a pigment of the imagination of the moronic and illiterate myopic nefarious falsehoods of Fulani herdsmen. When have we finished mourning 250 kith and kin to proceed to return the blood thirsty hounds that murdered us. Have they shown any apology? No. Have the Security agents provided the minutest solution to their threats? No. Have they stopped attacking our villages and murdering our children? No. Have they shown any consideration and respect to us in spreading their grazing territories into our farmlands? No. Have they even been disarmed? No. Have they rid themselves of their criminL habitual traits of stealing, theft, kidnapping, robberies, crop destruction, rape, etc? No. Recently they resorted to stealng our Sheep and Goats.
MAY THE SOUL OF HON. SUNDAY MUCHEN REST IN PERFECT PEACE, AMEN.
