The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev Timothy Daluk, has accused the Nigerian military of supervising the killings of Christians and destruction of properties in Plateau state.
Mr Daluk made these damning accusations in a video that was made public on social media platforms on Wednesday.
“I am here to report the situation happening in Mangu Local Government for the whole world to understand. What is happening in Mangu at this particular point in time, the military are the ones sending our people away for the militia to burn their houses,” he said with agitation.
The CAN chairman accused the military of suppressing Christian-dominated areas while Muslims wreaked havoc on them.
“At this particular point in time, they have sent every Christian away from the new market, thereby leaving the Muslims to come and burn their houses. They set the curfew. The curfew is only restricted to only people within Mangu – within the Christian domain. Within the Muslim domain, they are free to move and do whatever they want to do.
He further accused the military of killing youths while accusing fake soldiers of being responsible for the killings.
“And not only that, the military has killed three of our young men of which I know. One is before my church. They killed one yesterday, and I reported to the security, and he said it was fake soldiers,” he said.
“At first, he said I was lying until I proved to him beyond a reasonable doubt then he finally said it was fake soldiers. I said no, it was not fake soldiers; it was a real soldier who killed him. Finally, they made a signal to the soldier, and he disappeared from the scene,” he added.
He further accused the military of switching off their phones as tensions heightened within Mangu and its environs.
“Now that I am speaking to you, all of them have switched off their phones, and they allowed the place to be burned down and raided by the people. And this is what is going on now that I am speaking to you.
“People around Gindiri junction, (called other locations that were inaudible) their houses are now ablaze because the soldiers protected them and allowed them to burn people’s houses. They are not doing anything about it,” he said.
Frustrated about the military’s alleged nonchalant attitude towards the crisis in Mangu, the CAN Chairman said they have had enough and do not want military presence anymore.
“We don’t want the military in Mangu Local Government. They should pack their loads and go. We don’t want them,” he said.
“We don’t need them and we don’t want them. Because the plan, they have been bought. They have been paid with a price to carry out their duty. I am calling on the world to understand that this thing should stop, and people should come to our rescue to save us if not, that is an evil plan for them to destroy Mangu Local Government. Because the governor is from here, and we are not going to allow it,” he added.
Mr Daluk said since the military won’t help defend them from the militia that has destroyed lives and properties, they will take matters into their own hands.
“The military should keep on killing us. We accept they should kill us, but we are not going to stop. I will organise the whole Christians in Mangu Local Government Area. We are going to fight. We are not going to stop, and that is what I said,” he said.
“Enough is enough. We have cried, but the government is not listening. If they switch off their phones, then where else do we take our cries to?” he quizzed.
Speaking on the recent incident in Mangu, the Deputy Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Mangu LGA, Malam Adamu Abdulsalam, told Daily Trust newspaper on Wednesday that six mosques were burned down, and eight people were killed according to records available to them.
The position of both clergymen comes a day after fresh crisis broke out in Mangu Local Government Area of the state, which left scores dead with properties destroyed on Tuesday.
Though the governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had declared a 24-hour curfew, the killings and destruction have continued.
Peoples Gazette reached out to the defence spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, for comments, but he did not answer calls or respond to messages for clarification at the time of filing this report.
What a sad situation. In a country where all citizens are equal such atrocities cannot be tolerated. It cannot take a rocket scientist to understand the reasons Nigeria is on fire. Hate has completely over run the Nigeria society. Religion has played such a dangerous role in the instability of our society. Other countries are moving forward, while Nigeria is moving backwards. Meanwhile, the leaders stood by and watch the country disintegrate. What a fine mess we find ourselves in this country.