Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State have the most deserted settlements, having little or no evidence of human activities, as well as occupied by strange people, following a series of coordinated attacks over the years, a recent finding by Stefanos Foundation revealed.
The Programme Coordinator of Stefanos Foundation, a Christian faith-based non-governmental organisation, Mark Lipdo, disclosed this at the end of a three-day prayer conference held at Miango, Bassa Local Government Area, organised in collaboration with Flame International, United Kingdom.
“Stefanos Foundation organised the national conference with specific focus on praying for the land. The conference drew representatives from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. A team of six Flame International members led by Janice Ransom facilitated the conference, which featured teachings on self re-dedication, forgiveness, and emotional trauma, and was capped by prayers for the land.
“This prayer conference was necessitated by a Stefanos Foundation research which revealed worrying evidence of strangers occupying most violence-affected areas in Nigeria. Between December 6 and 20, 2024, the Foundation began research on occupied territories around violence-affected areas in Nigeria. The research, which started with a look at Plateau State, focused on the northern and central denatorial zones.
“About 171 GPS coordinates were collated, their status situation ascertained and were mapped in terms of: deserted (no building and no living being present), partially deserted (presence of building relics and very few people living), mixed Fulanis and locals (community had been attacked but a mixture of locals and Fulanis were seen occupying the spatial space), overran/occupied (communities taken over by Fulanis).
“The spatial analysis revealed that Barkin Ladi and Riyom have the most deserted settlements, having little or no evidence of human activities; these same local government areas have the most over-ran and Fulani-occupied settlements. The partially deserted communities were mostly in Bokkos, Riyom, and Bassa. Bokkos is the only Local Government Area that has settlements where Fulanis and the locals are living together, even though they have experienced Fulani attacks before.”
He stressed “79 communities are deserted, 33 are overrun and occupied by Fulani, 21 communities are partially deserted, three are mixed Fulanis and locals, and the total number of communities is 136. The findings came from Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, and Bassa. Some churches have been turned into mosques. Most of Stefanos Foundation’s delegates at the conference reported similar situations in their states as well. In the future, Stefanos Foundation intends to carry out detailed research in those areas, all over the country.”
Also, volunteers of the Foundation in the South-West reported some worrisome trends, as one of them, who spoke anonymously, stated, “I am a missionary and I work among diverse people, including the Fulanis. I traverse Oke Ogun, Ibarapa, Iseyin and other places in Oyo State, as well as Odeda in Ogun State. Before now, the Fulanis were peaceful, but these days, there is an influx of other influential powers among them and they are beginning to be very hostile.
“Kidnappings are a new order now, and recently, we have begun to make some shocking discoveries. For instance, we have HISBAH members who are on the payroll of Kano State in states in the South-West. They are in Iseyin, Oke Ogun, Sarki, Ibadan, Akala Way, Elebu axis. They are in Osun along Ilesha exit 2 to the expressway to Ibodi. They are in Lekki, Victoria Island in Lagos. When some people discovered them, they said they were vigilantes, that they were just there to caution their people.”
Earlier, the Team Lead of Flame International, Ransom led the delegates into rededicating their individual lives to God, as well as his service and praying to God to redeem their land. Some team members, including Stephen Stewart, Sharon Borland and Robert Barlow encouraged survivors of violence in Plateau State not to lose hope in God, as the team taught about the healing of the spirit, forgiveness, reconciliation, being free from trauma and fear, among others.
