Paramount ruler of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Bra Nggwe Rigwe, His Royal Highness Rev. Ronku Aka, said he lost over 600,000 of his subjects in the last 20 years. The people, he said, were lost to several and incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
The monarch spoke yesterday in his palace at Miango when the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation donated relief materials, mainly food items, to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Miango.
The items included bags of rice, bags of maize and bags of beans. Aka added that from January till date, he had so far lost over 46 lives, mostly women and children, as a result of Fulani herdsmen’s attacks. He said: “God is the only one protecting my people and we have continued to preach peace. My domain is free for peace makers so that our children will continue to go to school.” The Brra Nggwe Rigwe noted that without peace, there would be no development. According to him, Plateau State needs permanent peace for development to strive. The traditional ruler also condemned the abduction of over 300 students in Katsina State recently.
The Provost of the ECWA Theological Seminary, Jos, Rev. Sunday Gang, donated the items on behalf of the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation. Gang said the foundation, a peace advocate, gave out the relief materials to provide succour to the IDPs who had suffered attacks and were devastated and traumatised. He said: “We are here to show our solidarity with your people, the Internally Displaced Persons who have been devastated and are traumatised.
This is our token to help the displaced.” Gang said Gideon and Funmi Para- Mallam Peace Foundation was a nongovernmental faith-based organisation committed to nation building through the promotion of peaceful coexistence, leadership development and social justice for all in Nigeria and Africa.
