The Tarok people in Plateau State said the ongoing killings and the wanton destruction of houses and agricultural produce was a grand design to remove the ethnic group out of Kadarko District of the state.
Five villages in Kadarko District of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State at the weekend were ransacked by a team of heavily armed military personnel, killing over 500 persons as alleged by the Taron ethnic stock head.
A statement on Monday by the Secretary-General of Ngwang Ishi ‘O’ Taroh, Pastor Kartim Napbut, said the killing has reached an alarming proportion.
Napbut said: “We want to let the Nigerian Government and the International community know that there is a conspiracy against the Tarok nation and we will channel this inhuman act to appropriate quarters, particularly, the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Army and the Presidency.
“These inhuman acts were carried out by the Nigerian Army. The casualty rate is not to be known as at the moment but property worth hundreds of millions in naira were destroyed.
“It is however, very unimaginable that the intelligence and compass bearings of the Military led them to settlements base (Kurmi, Wadata and Kadarko) of over 100 years as militia bases.
“We consider this very unfortunate and believe that the Military has just conspired with some powers that be somewhere to ensure that the Tarok man is forced out of the land of their inheritance.”
The people of the area demanded to know if the Tarok people arrested were militias and who led the military to the settlements as militia bases.
The statement said: “Are civilians (women and children) targets in any form of war and the houses burnt part of the militia? What is/are the motive(s) behind the demolition of houses?
“We appeal to NEMA, PEMA and NGOs to come to the aid of the displaced persons to ameliorate their sufferings.”
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