Jos crisis – The solution

Any Berom-man or woman who is (one hundred) 100 years old or more today knows that he or she grew up in their villages with the Fulani settlements as neighours. Both of them co-existed peacefully all this long until for unknown reason the crisis started some 12 years back. The Fulani cattle rearers go about […]

Any Berom-man or woman who is (one hundred) 100 years old or more today knows that he or she grew up in their villages with the Fulani settlements as neighours. Both of them co-existed peacefully all this long until for unknown reason the crisis started some 12 years back. The Fulani cattle rearers go about and live in the bush with their cattle. They enjoy no government welfare, i.e. pipe bone water, electricity, roads etc. They pay for treatment of their cattle when they are sick and pay cattle tax to government. So why the envy? Why are they attacked and killed and their cattle also killed or stolen? Those who indulge in these wanton killings must provide the answers.
The Hausa people were in these LGs for as long as the Fulani. They came in three (3) categories; traders, businessmen and forced labourers. The traders engaged in purchase and sell of all types of commodities in the markets, i.e. grains, textiles, gold neckless, rings etc. They also engage in shoe-making, butchering and sell of suya and many more. The businessmen bought cattle from different parts of the North and brought them to Bukuru where they were railed to the South of the country for sale. They also engage in transportation, tailoring etc. The third categories of Hausa people were recruited by traditional rulers in all parts of Northern Nigeria on the order of the colonial government and forced to work in the mining fields in these LGs under reference. This explains why many of the mining camps bear Hausa names, i.e. Barikin Ladi, Sabon Gida, Dogona Hauwa, Kuru Babba, Kuru Karama, Gero, Dorawan Babuje, Tim-Tim, Kaduna Vom, Meadiko etc. The great grand children of the able bodied young men who were brought to perform forced labour remained in these camps until 12 years ago when the Beroms attacked and killed many of them and their houses burnt or destroyed between 2001 and 2008.
The people who first settled in present day Bukuru were Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and other Nigerian tribes. They made up of traders, businessmen and women, railway workers, employees of Tin Mines and British/French Trading Companies. Since the crisis started in 2001, there had been several attempts by the Beroms from neighboring Gyel village to drive away the people of Bukuru particularly the Hausa elements in order to occupy their houses as has been done in Dogona Hauwa and other mining camps. In the attempts they killed several people, destroyed or burnt houses. They refused to allow the dead to be buried in the Muslim cemetery on Gero road. The dead had to be taken to the outskirts of Jos for burial. The situation remains the same up till date. Though the hostility had ceased but there are still snipers attacking the Hausas on the Jos expressway, Bukuru which divides Bukuru town and Gyel village.      
It is interesting toi note that the first Sarkin Bukuru Mallam Muhammadu then known as village Head iof Bukuru Jos Division, Plateau Province was issued with a Certificate of Loyal and faithful service on 1st September, 1942. The Citation are as follows:
Mallam Muhammadu Sarkin Bukuru died on 26/8/1961 and was succeeded by his son Sulaiman who also died on 2/10/2001. Since then the Plateau State Government refuses to appoint a successor among the children of Late Sulaiman who showed interest to the chieftaincy title.
As for the Hausas in Jos North Local Government Area, I am not competent to speak for them, but however, it is on record that Jos was established by the Hausas even before the arrival of colonialist. When they came, they created provinces in the North and placed Jos division under Bauchi province. The division was in 1927 removed and merged with Plateau Province. The Bauchi Emirate continued to appoint chiefs of Jos from Bauchi. Sharia Court Judges were also appointed for Jos and Bukuru from Bauchi. Also head of (Native Authority) N.A Police (Sarkin Yan Doka) used to be appointed from Bauchi. This trend continued until 1953 when the colonial government decided to appoint one Mallam Sanda a School teacher from Riyom as the first Berom Chief of Jos with the title Bwong Gom Jos. Bauchi Emirate had appointed more than 10 Chiefs from Bauchi before the advent of Mallam Sanda as Chief of Jos. Since 1953 three Bwong Goms have passed away. The incumbent Da Jacob Buba is the 4th Bwong Gom. At this juncture, I leave the Hausas of Jos to make necessary correction if any and continue the story.
I have not recalled all these developments including sad events in order to revive or cause disharmony among the various stakeholders. Suffice to say that a problem must be identified before a solution is found for it. In the past so many panels or committees of inquiries have been set up by both the state and federal governments with the view to finding solution to the crisis without success. Among the Beroms themselves there are those who genuinely want peace to prevail in both Jos North and South Local Government Areas. One of such people is Senator Gyang Pwajok. His sincere efforts aimed at re-storing peace have been effective particularly in Jos North Local Government Area. It is however, regrettable that the fight has now shifted to Jos South, Riyom and Barikin Ladi Local Government Areas. People are being killed in the villages, roads and bushes while animals like cattle are killed or stolen.
In view of these developments, I call on Senator Gwang Pwajok to continue his peace efforts and move the peace meetings involving all stakeholders i.e. the Beroms, Fulanis, Hausas to Headquarters of these Local Government Areas. All the District Heads, Village Heads, Chairmen of Local Government Area, Councillors, House of Assembly Members and Representatives should be invited to attend. The meeting which should be staggered and held on different dates for each Local Government Area should also be attended by the Bwong Gwom Jos and Representative of the State Governor. All combatants should be invited in advance and required to come and vomit their grievances with the view to finding solution to them. Adequate security measures should be taken at each venue of the meting and security agents should ensure nobody is molested before, during and after each meeting.
Some of the grievances of Hausa community in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area are as follows:
a)    Refusal of the government and state council of Chiefs to install one of the descendants of first Chief of Bukuru as Sarkin Bukuru.
b)    Banning Hausa Community from burying their dead at their cemetery.
c)    Activities of snipers.
I am sure more grievances will be heard during the meeting if my suggestions are accepted by the Senator. 
Mohammed is a retired police commissioner and resides in Kaduna.