Short Essay 37: Relief for the Fulani

Short Essay 37
By Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

Relief for the Fulani in Jos

Readers of my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/aliyu.u.tilde) might have read the posting I made this morning regarding the current humanitarian situation of the forcibly displaced Fulani in Barikin Ladi and Riyom local governments. I then reported that no relief material has reached them even as at noon when I made the posting. The situation has not changed and it is not likely to change until tomorrow morning, perhaps. This is in spite of the fact that the locations of the camps chosen by the Fulani were given to the state SEMA officials as at yesterday 4.00pm when we were leaving Mahanga and the Fulani were starting to move to the sites.

The STF have applied pressure on the state committee handling the relief materials to expedite action on the matter. “The eyes of the world is on this case wo,” one of the commanders told the relief officials. As at this evening when we were leaving the STF office, we received the assurance that materials will start reaching the camps latest 9.00am; otherwise, the Fulani, we threatened, will return to their homes in the prohibited area. Keeping IDPs in camps without food for this number of hours is criminal. The relief is coming from the Plateau State government. We realized that this initial delay might not be the last, should we continue to depend on the Plateau State Government for relief. A complimentary source is necessary.

For the past three days, I have been receiving offers for assistance from sympathizers outside the state. From my past experience, I told them that I would not like to handle cash directly and alone. I, therefore, sought the assistance of Saleh Bayari, the Protem National Secretary of Miyetti Allah, in forming a committee of seven trustworthy people on ground who will help in handling the assistance that will come my way. He obliged and the following seven names were listed.

Dr. Adamu Sambo (08076153997)
Musa Bayero (08034509345)
Aliyu Bello (08039245567)
Saleh Bayari (08033587281)
Aliyu U. Tilde (08137661860)
Musa Mai-Nagge (08036489783)
Muhammad Adam B/Ladi (08036536563)

This committee will sit and deliberate on the requirement of the IDPs at any given point, the purchase and distribution of items. The STF has pledged to provide adequate security for the storage and delivery of the relief material.

I have contacted some reputable personalities in Abuja – Adamu Adamu and others – to assist with handling relief materials and donations that may be easier to collect at their end. They are already putting their heads together to come up with something. If they have not concluded on it as at the time I am posting this update, details of what they work out will in sha Allah be communicated to my readers and friends tomorrow.

It is likely that tomorrow morning the STF may make an important announcement may be made, likely limiting the duration of the operation which started this morning. In any case, the need to assist the Fulani will still be there because displacement usually comes with loss of property. Some houses have been burnt last week; some lives lost, some detentions made and some cattle killed, etc. Our assistance will help in mitigating the loss and assuring them of our brotherhood.

Those who intend to send cash could please use my GTB account (Aliyu Tilde 0044453830, Bauchi Branch), or give it to the designated person nearest to them. The sender should please copy the alert of the text to Alhaji Saleh Bayari (08033587281) to register the transaction in our book. We intend to publish details of how the monies are utilized for public consumption.

The contact we made with a humanitarian agency was successful. Their material is already on the way.

I stop here. Good night.


Bauchi
17/7/12