The recent crisis on the Mambilla Plateau has generated much tension and myriad of opinions from stakeholders. In this interview with SAHID UMAR in Jalingo, Taraba State, President of the Mambilla Progressive Cultural Association (MAPCA), Mr. Marcus Bovoa, says the security reports on the crisis was exaggerated and blown out of proportion just as he says there was so much disinformation on the Mambilla crisis. Excerpts:
As President of Mambilla Progressive Cultural Association, how disturbed are you by the recent crisis on the Mambilla Plateau?
Nobody would hear the story of the crisis and the losses incurred and be happy with what happened on the Mambilla Plateau. As MAPCA President, I totally condemn what transpired in very strong terms. I will tell you that since I was born, my father was friend to the grazers. We have been friends to the grazers. Even now, most of my friends are grazers; we farm and they graze and never had any dispute with them. But what really happened was unfortunate. I condemn it in very strong terms and with a loud voice. I pray that the crisis will never repeat itself again as it curtails or denies progress and development in every society.
Since 1982, Mambilla Plateau has been engulfed in incessant crises. What were the remote and immediate causes of the recent crisis?
Well, I will not like to go back as far as 1982. I will like to dwell only on the recent crisis that occurred on the Mambilla Plateau. Actually, this issue started when miners at Mayo Sina were attacked by grazers and many were shot with guns, injuring them. Later, the Taraba State Government constituted a committee to look into the crisis in Takum and the people of Nguroje requested the state government to extend the assignment to cover their area so that it could look into the issue of land acquisition there. Before government could respond to this genuine request, two Mambilla community leaders in Nguroje were arrested under cover of darkness and bundled to Jalingo, the state capital.
Before news of the arrests reached the community, there were wild rumours here and there that they were either abducted or kidnapped. When this information filtered and reached Gembu, the Local Government Headquarter, the Executive Chairman of the Council, Honourable John Yeb, rushed to Nguroje to see things for himself and calm the situation. When he reached Nguroje, he spoke to the people to calm down while efforts were made to investigate the matter by the Local Government. On his way in Ngoruje town, an attempt was made on his life when he was shot at by a grazer. The bullets missed him but shattered his windscreen. He narrowly escaped assassination with the gunshot.
The news of the assassination attempt heightened tension, especially when the victims of the Mayo Sina attacks were conveyed to the General Hospital, Gembu, with blood gushing out from their gunshot wounds. People were incensed. This was the catalyst that made people to take laws into their hands and began to fight.
When we got the news of the fighting, we were not happy and we told our people to stop what they were doing and embrace peace. Happily, many responded positively and maintained peace and order.
How do you assess the pronouncements of some security personnel and media reports on the recent crisis?
The pronouncements by some security personnel were worrisome, but everybody is entitled to their opinions. When an incident occurs, those that witness and those that just hear the story or rumour could say whatever they want to say. In my view, what most of the security personnel said was their personal opinions; they did not reflect the reality on ground or the true position of things. We had to come in and tell them the exact thing that happened.
We know that things went wrong, but hyperbole and exaggeration dominated the public space. The aim here was to ignite confusion and incite more violence. Overall, I want to say that what they said was not completely true.
Let me add that violent crises were experienced in many states and local government areas across the country but they did not attract the type of swift response as that of the Mambilla Plateau. We still wonder why the unprecedented swift action.
What communal efforts have you made for sustained peace and unity on the Mambilla Plateau?
As I earlier said, we condemn the unfortunate incident in strong terms and pray that such a thing should never happen again. However, Mambilla plateau has had peace for decades and we have been coexisting peacefully with our grazers and farmers. When the incident happened, we called both sides to lay down their weapons and stop the fight as it can hamper progress in our land. My position is that I will not condone disunity, bitterness and violence. I believe that with the pervasive devastation and destruction by the warring factions, the belligerents or combatants must have learnt bitter lessons and made up their minds not go for each others’ jugular but always seek peaceful means of resolving issues.
Why has the recent Mambilla crisis attracted both national and international attention unlike, other crises in the past in Taraba State?
Yes, the special attention was a shock to me. Crises took place in other states and local government areas across the country, some with more deadly and devastating consequences, but they did not attract such attention. It baffles me that the Mambilla case has stood out distinctly due to massive disinformation and propaganda. The North-East, Southern Kaduna, Niger-Delta, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Ekiti, Ondo and Enugu states all suffered in the hands of armed herdsmen/grazers. Thousands of lives were lost in these regions and states. Were the lives lost in these areas not human lives? In all these places, no such swift action was taken by the federal government or security operatives. But in the case of Mambilla Plateau, you can see that the Minister of Interior, General Danbazau, himself came calling. So also were some senior military and Police officers. I cannot decipher why the Federal Government took such swift action. I challenge the Federal Government to explain to Nigerians why it took swift action on the Mambilla crisis and reneged on others that occurred earlier across the country, especially in the North-East, North-Central, South-East, South-West and the South-South
What security architecture do you think is required for peaceful co-existence on the Mambilla Plateau?
If the local, state and federal governments want to find lasting peace on the Mambilla Plateau, they should address the issue of land grab and ownership. If you go to the Mambilla Plateau, you will find out that very few individuals occupy vast areas of land. The Mambilla ethnic nationality constitutes almost 85% of the population while the remaining 15% is shared by the other tribes on the Mambilla Plateau. However, you will discover that the 15% or, rather, 10% of the population occupies 90% of the land, while the vast majority of people have no land. What is obvious is that 85% of the population share only 10% of the land. This is ludicrous. With increasing population, land is becoming scarcer. Thus, equitable distribution of land is the panacea for peace on the Mambilla Plateau.
The recent crisis on the Mambilla Plateau has generated much tension and myriad of opinions from stakeholders. In this interview with SAHID UMAR in Jalingo, Taraba State, President of the Mambilla Progressive Cultural Association (MAPCA), Mr. Marcus Bovoa, says the security reports on the crisis was exaggerated and blown out of proportion just as he says there was so much disinformation on the Mambilla crisis. Excerpts:
As President of Mambilla Progressive Cultural Association, how disturbed are you by the recent crisis on the Mambilla Plateau?
Nobody would hear the story of the crisis and the losses incurred and be happy with what happened on the Mambilla Plateau. As MAPCA President, I totally condemn what transpired in very strong terms. I will tell you that since I was born, my father was friend to the grazers. We have been friends to the grazers. Even now, most of my friends are grazers; we farm and they graze and never had any dispute with them. But what really happened was unfortunate. I condemn it in very strong terms and with a loud voice. I pray that the crisis will never repeat itself again as it curtails or denies progress and development in every society.
Since 1982, Mambilla Plateau has been engulfed in incessant crises. What were the remote and immediate causes of the recent crisis?
Well, I will not like to go back as far as 1982. I will like to dwell only on the recent crisis that occurred on the Mambilla Plateau. Actually, this issue started when miners at Mayo Sina were attacked by grazers and many were shot with guns, injuring them. Later, the Taraba State Government constituted a committee to look into the crisis in Takum and the people of Nguroje requested the state government to extend the assignment to cover their area so that it could look into the issue of land acquisition there. Before government could respond to this genuine request, two Mambilla community leaders in Nguroje were arrested under cover of darkness and bundled to Jalingo, the state capital.
Before news of the arrests reached the community, there were wild rumours here and there that they were either abducted or kidnapped. When this information filtered and reached Gembu, the Local Government Headquarter, the Executive Chairman of the Council, Honourable John Yeb, rushed to Nguroje to see things for himself and calm the situation. When he reached Nguroje, he spoke to the people to calm down while efforts were made to investigate the matter by the Local Government. On his way in Ngoruje town, an attempt was made on his life when he was shot at by a grazer. The bullets missed him but shattered his windscreen. He narrowly escaped assassination with the gunshot.
The news of the assassination attempt heightened tension, especially when the victims of the Mayo Sina attacks were conveyed to the General Hospital, Gembu, with blood gushing out from their gunshot wounds. People were incensed. This was the catalyst that made people to take laws into their hands and began to fight.
When we got the news of the fighting, we were not happy and we told our people to stop what they were doing and embrace peace. Happily, many responded positively and maintained peace and order.
How do you assess the pronouncements of some security personnel and media reports on the recent crisis?
The pronouncements by some security personnel were worrisome, but everybody is entitled to their opinions. When an incident occurs, those that witness and those that just hear the story or rumour could say whatever they want to say. In my view, what most of the security personnel said was their personal opinions; they did not reflect the reality on ground or the true position of things. We had to come in and tell them the exact thing that happened.
We know that things went wrong, but hyperbole and exaggeration dominated the public space. The aim here was to ignite confusion and incite more violence. Overall, I want to say that what they said was not completely true.
Let me add that violent crises were experienced in many states and local government areas across the country but they did not attract the type of swift response as that of the Mambilla Plateau. We still wonder why the unprecedented swift action.
What communal efforts have you made for sustained peace and unity on the Mambilla Plateau?
As I earlier said, we condemn the unfortunate incident in strong terms and pray that such a thing should never happen again. However, Mambilla plateau has had peace for decades and we have been coexisting peacefully with our grazers and farmers. When the incident happened, we called both sides to lay down their weapons and stop the fight as it can hamper progress in our land. My position is that I will not condone disunity, bitterness and violence. I believe that with the pervasive devastation and destruction by the warring factions, the belligerents or combatants must have learnt bitter lessons and made up their minds not go for each others’ jugular but always seek peaceful means of resolving issues.
Why has the recent Mambilla crisis attracted both national and international attention unlike, other crises in the past in Taraba State?
Yes, the special attention was a shock to me. Crises took place in other states and local government areas across the country, some with more deadly and devastating consequences, but they did not attract such attention. It baffles me that the Mambilla case has stood out distinctly due to massive disinformation and propaganda. The North-East, Southern Kaduna, Niger-Delta, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Ekiti, Ondo and Enugu states all suffered in the hands of armed herdsmen/grazers. Thousands of lives were lost in these regions and states. Were the lives lost in these areas not human lives? In all these places, no such swift action was taken by the federal government or security operatives. But in the case of Mambilla Plateau, you can see that the Minister of Interior, General Danbazau, himself came calling. So also were some senior military and Police officers. I cannot decipher why the Federal Government took such swift action. I challenge the Federal Government to explain to Nigerians why it took swift action on the Mambilla crisis and reneged on others that occurred earlier across the country, especially in the North-East, North-Central, South-East, South-West and the South-South
What security architecture do you think is required for peaceful co-existence on the Mambilla Plateau?
If the local, state and federal governments want to find lasting peace on the Mambilla Plateau, they should address the issue of land grab and ownership. If you go to the Mambilla Plateau, you will find out that very few individuals occupy vast areas of land. The Mambilla ethnic nationality constitutes almost 85% of the population while the remaining 15% is shared by the other tribes on the Mambilla Plateau. However, you will discover that the 15% or, rather, 10% of the population occupies 90% of the land, while the vast majority of people have no land. What is obvious is that 85% of the population share only 10% of the land. This is ludicrous. With increasing population, land is becoming scarcer. Thus, equitable distribution of land is the panacea for peace on the Mambilla Plateau.
