Special Task Force [Photo: sweetcrudereports.com]
The Beroms in Plateau on Wednesday sued security agencies at a Federal High Court in Jos for allegedly failing to protect them in the wake of attacks in their domains.
Rwang Dantong, the brother of late Senator Gyang Dantong, on behalf of himself and the Berom community in Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Riyom and Jos North local governments of the state, filed the suit, demanding for N501.8 billion as general damage.
Mr. Datong, in the application filed before Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal Court I, alleged that acts of genocide or pogrom were visited on them “under the watchful eyes of the security agencies”.
Joined in the suit was the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The security agencies are the Police, Special Task Force, Army, Air Force, Navy and Directorate of State Security, SSS.
The community, through its counsel, Gyang Zi, urged the court to hold the security agencies and their employer, the Federal Government, responsible for “all the atrocities that befell them over the years”.
The Beroms alleged that 1,193 estimated men, women and children were killed while 3,250 were “injured and incapacitated during the ethnic cleansing by Fulani marauders,” due to dereliction of duty of security agencies.
The suit also alleged, among others, that 854 houses and 150 vehicles were burnt while 13,100 cows, 10,040 goats, sheep and 17,000 chickens were destroyed.
The plaintiffs said they have a right to live and be protected by the security agents and asked the court to order them to fulfill their constitutional duty of protecting them as citizens of Nigeria.
When the case, which was slated for mention, came up, the Registrar of the Court announced the absence of the judge due to ill health and the adjourned the case to May 23.
Addressing newsmen shortly after leaving the court room, Mr. Zi said the adjournment would afford him the opportunity to make some slight amendments in the suit.
“We are prepared to prosecute this case to its logical conclusion due to its weight and the plight of Beroms in the wake of the crises on the Plateau over the years,” he said.
The defendants were not represented at the court.
(NAN)
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