Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State yesterday imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Shendam and Namu, in Quan�Pan Local Government, Nigeria, area of Plateau State following escalation of fracas over ownership of Namu where casualty figures are said to be above 100.
The government had claimed to have brought the situation under control Tuesday night before a new wave of killings which saw hospitals in Langtang and Shendam brimming with the dead and the wounded .
Although the government admitted that there was security breach in the area leading to imposition of dusk to dawn curfew in Shendam and Kwande, it is claiming ignorance of casualty figures while the Secretary of Quan Pan Development Association, Mr. Steve Seriki Musa said the casualty figures was above 100.
He listed those worst hit by the killings as Gomai, Angas, Tal, Mupon, Eggu, Muangvual, and Hausas among other tribes, adding that the entire Gomai people in Namu had been wiped out while Pan people are moving freely.
THISDAY learnt the cause of the fracas was the leakage of the report of the Justice Constance Momoh Panel report on the real ownership of Namu where it was held that Gomais owned the land.
Pan people who have high representation in government were said to have gotten hold of the report and relayed it to their people who vowed that the Gomais will never have peace if they have won the battle on the ownership of the land.
So on Monday when a Gomai man took sand from a land which a Pan man claimed ownership, it became an excuse for a clash where a prepared Pan people quickly mobilized to inflict heavy casualties on their erstwhile neighbours.
We further learnt that while the Government of the state moved swiftly to curb the crisis and thought it had succeeded, Pan people had made contact with Lantang militia who are heavily armed so that overnight, the �Tarok� boys sacked the Gomais from Namu.
While responding to the situation, former Minister of Internal Affairs, General John Shagaya sued for peace and dialogue, pointing out that it was wrong to blame any security breach on Tarok people as there was a big buffer of two local Government areas between them.
Even as at press time when the government had set up a high powered delegation headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief John Gobak to ascertain the situation of things, they were still insisting there were no casualties.
Addressing newsmen, Commissioner of Information Mr. Yakubu Datti blamed the news of deaths in the crisis on rumour mongers who he warned to desist or face the wrath of the law and described what happened in Namu as �a minor breach of peace�.
�The situation was quickly brought under control by the intervention of the law enforcement agencies. Government wants to make it abundantly clear that the unfortunate happenings in Namu have been perfectly nipped in the bud, as peace and normalcy has since returned.
�I add at this juncture that a dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in Namu and Shendam to forestall the minor problem from escalating. The government has set up a high powered delegation to inquire into the situation and security has been adequately deployed to keep peace�, Datti said.
Although both the police and Army are keeping sealed lips on the fracas, THISDAY learnt that a Task force headed by one Lieutenant Colonel is battling to ensure the return of peace while unconfirmed report said that two policemen and a soldier have already died in shoot out with the Tarok boys.
When Datti was asked whether the high population of Pan people in government was not responsible for the government�s inability to put those behind the constant killings in the area in check was not responsible for the present uprising.
Source: ThisDay