Homeless Farmers Demand Mobile Police Units Instead of Army Base
By Stephen Kefason
[Bokkos] – Under the hot African sun, more than 19,000 displaced persons are gathered to share their grief and fears. They have been driven from their homes by a decade of escalating violence at the hands of merciless terrorists. Now they find themselves caught between two forces they cannot trust – the militants who killed their loved ones and the Nigerian troops who deliberately stood down when it happened.
On Feb. 12, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Plateau state organized a solidarity visit to the temporary camp in Bokkos hosting thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs). They came to highlight the urgent needs of traumatized communities struggling to survive displacement. But they also discovered rising opposition to the federal government’s plan to build an army barracks in the area to contain the terrorist threat.
“We do not want soldiers here,” said Rev. Stephen Asugun, CAN Chairman of Bokkos County [Local Government Area]. “They will only increase our suffering.”
His words were met by nods and murmurs of agreement from the sea of weathered faces looking to him for leadership amidst their misery.
In the past decade, attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani militant groups have terrorized communities across northern east and central Nigeria. Roughly five million people have been forced to flee their homes to escape violence targeting Christians, TruthNigeria has reported.
Bokkos has been particularly hard hit. On Christmas Eve 2023, extremists invaded Chirang and other Bokkos Villages over a 7-day period killing over 295 residents and displacing thousands more.
Bokkos now hosts the largest camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Plateau State. Impoverished and traumatized, they are dependent on charity and desperate for the government to take decisive action to address the deteriorating security situation.
Instead, on February 8th 2024, Nigeria’s federal government announced plans to construct an army barracks in Bokkos in response to continued attacks by terrorists speaking the Fulfulde language.
But Asugun believes deploying more soldiers will only make life worse for the suffering civilians caught in the conflict.
“The army has failed to protect us from repeated attacks,” he said. “We do not trust them to keep us safe.” The fact is, as Epoch Times and TruthNigeria have reported, there are documented cases of the army’s complicity with terrorism.
Troubling Questions
Underlying Asugun’s opposition are these questions.
Why were there no soldiers stationed in the vulnerable village on Christmas Eve when militants invaded despite security alerts published by TruthNigeria? Why did it take so long for back-up forces to arrive?
Why have there been no arrests of perpetrators?
Local citizens interviewed by TruthNigeria on background said share many of the soldiers share ethnic or religious sympathies with the killers behind the massacres.
Whether true or not, the government has failed to earn the trust of traumatized communities.
“The soldiers cannot protect us,” Asugun insists. “They only escalate tensions and make our communities a target.”
Are Troops Part of Problem?
Asugun is not alone in his conviction. Survivors of last year’s Christmas Eve massacre almost unanimously oppose constructing a forward operating base that will disarm citizen guards or prevent local residents to mobilize their citizen guards when an attack is imminent.
Bitrus Audu lost his 21-year-old son when extremists invaded last December. He barely escaped with his life.
“I still have nightmares from that night,” he says. “The soldiers did not come to help us. And when my son ran, he was shot in the back. More soldiers will not bring him back. They will only endanger us further.”
Locals told TruthNigeria that deployment of mobile policemen would be a better security option than the Nigerian army.
Mary Musa, a mother of three small children, argues anything would be better than more troops.
“The militants have been operating freely with the soldiers not doing anything to engage them even when we call for help,” she explains while nursing her infant son. “When the Christmas eve attacks took place, we waited for several hours without any intervention from the army despite a sector command base situated in Bokkos, a few miles from our village, Chirang’’
Like many in the camp, Musa believes the cycle of bloodshed will only end when security forces enforce the law.
Seeking Alternatives: Mobile Police Requested
Rather than a permanent military barracks, Asugun advocates deploying elite Mobile Police units to provide security. Specially trained in community conflict resolution and de-escalation, Mobile Police prioritize building trust with local stakeholders.
As leaders such as Asugun give voice to growing grassroots’ frustrations, hopes dim for federal relief. In the meantime, IDPs remain caught between militants and troops, praying for security that honors their dignity and protects their lives.
But until political leaders build trust and address root causes, the cycle of violence likely will continue at the expense of innocent Nigerians displaced by forces beyond their control.
Steven Kefas is a veteran conflict reporter in the Middle Belt reporting for TruthNigeria.
