Despite STF threats, Police Dare to Stop Harassment of Displaced Farmers by Herdsmen in B/Ladi, Plateau MK Blog July 07, 2018 Mobile Policemen stationed at recently displaced Dorowa Babuje and Mararabar Kantoma villages near Mangu, Plateau State have defined grazing limits for herdsmen therein. They have also resolved to accompany farmers displaced by the recent attacks in the villages to harvest their farm crops which have been under the guard of the herders since the attacks. Leader of the displaced Dorowa community, Da Sambo Chollom told MKB that the herders had consistently intimidated the farmers, sometimes firing at them when they attempted accessing their farms. Some of the Policemen yesterday confirmed to have been intimidated on Monday, July 2 and Wednesday July 4, 2018 by Special Forces from the Defense Headquarters and the Special Task Force in Jos. Nevertheless, they are committed to the protection of lives as sworn during their oath of service, one of them told MKB. "We are not on any allowance but that is not a reason to watch people perish like that. "We have sworn to protect lives and no one can intimidate us to stop that," he said. Asked if the armed Forces were not efficient, the Mopol as they are fondly called said, "They only drive their motorbikes up to the NYSC camp and back, and don't care about the villages that are constantly under threats until they hear a cow is missing." He however said the conflict between them was reported to the Federal authorities and was being resolved. MKB had on Tuesday reported a case of harassment of the Mobile Policemen in Mararabar Kantoma by the Special Task Force personnel. In that report, MKB told of how the conflict grew intense nearly resulting in a shootout. The villagers in Mararabar Kantoma and Dorowa Babuje have continually affirmed that soldiers from the Special Task Force assisted in carrying out the attacks that led to the death of their fellow community members. In Dorowa, the attack of Thursday 28 June 2018 that led to the death of about 15 people was said to have been assisted with a military armoured artillery. A survivor of the attack and leader of the displaced community, Sambo Chollom said he sustained a bullet injury from the gunfire of the military armoured car. "We were trying to resist the attackers when the armoured car came from behind, shooting at us. "Four agile youths were gunned down right before me by the armoured personnel. "I saw them, not that anyone told me." Mr. Chollom who showed a text message sent to the Commander of the STF unit in Wereh village earlier before the attack, notifying of some suspicious movements by the herders said he believed the soldiers acted on instruction. "The Commander and his deputy are both Christians but when we saw Fulani sharing weapons, we called them and they ignored the calls after they had assured us of safety when we sensed threats much earlier. "I sent them a text after several attempts but one of them told me after the attack that their hands were tight, saying it was an order they had from above," he said. A similar case was yesterday reported where the Strike Force attachés of the STF allegedly invaded Rapyam village in Fan district of Barkin Ladi LGA, firing at unarmed youths. Although no life was lost, the raid reinforced earlier insinuations that the Nigerian army keeping peace in the State was on a mission to disarm locals especially in Fan district through house-to-house arms search towards weakening their defenses during herdsmen attacks. The STF authorities had confirmed carrying out some raids in Fan in May and early June in search of some missing personnel and some missing cattle belonging to Fulani herdsmen. The STF has however denied any planned arms search as rumoured. "If we wanted doing that, we would have done it since," a top STF official told MKB in a text message. The STF authorities have continually assured of impartiality in the discharge of their duties. Aside relocating its operational headquarters from Jos to Barkin Ladi where the attacks have concentrated of late, the Force has paraded over 20 herders suspected to have carried out attacks in the area. MKB had earlier reported the smuggling of fake military uniforms into the State by some unknown individuals for use as cover during attacks. It is therefore possible the military attackers are not STF members or government military. The STF authorities are therefore expected to carry out thorough investigations to rid the system of any fake personnel towards maintaining its image and public trust.