HOW WE SURVIVED ALAGO/EGGON CRISIS - SURVIVORS
'I got married to my husband about a month ago and for over two weeks before the fight my Eggon neighbours in whose midst I live and whose language I understand, always spoke-out publicly of an impending bloodbath to be visited on the Alago people.
Out of fear I could not sleep in my house for about two weeks before the violence broke out. Whenever I came back in the morning they would mockingly ask me why I deserted my house and I always reminded them of their threats to fighting my people.'
These are the words of Mrs. Lydia Oyoshe while recounting her ordeal and that of her family during the recent violence that broke out between Alago and Eggon communities in Nasarawa state.
In an emotion laden voice Oyoshe added that, 'as early as 6:00 am on Friday, I just heard gunshots and I ran out with my night gown on and that is the only thing I was able to escape with as they have burnt down our house and the entire property we got at our wedding to help us start our lives together. Where do we start now?' she queried.
Speaking further, she also alleged that the night before the incidence, all the Eggon women, children and even animals were evacuated to safety, pointing out that only the Alago are in the refugee camps because they were caught unaware.
Narrating his ordeal, Mr. Omagye Obeni, who single-handedly buried his own son, Yakubu, in his compound after he was felled by the assailants' bullets, said he didn't run away from his home since the violence broke out despite several attempts on his life.
He revealed that those who attacked them were a mix of Eggon and mercenaries who spoke in various languages including Kutep and Dmak. He said: 'After I escaped their first attack, I joined in their ranks but because they are not from Assakio they could not recognise me. He, however, pointed out that a few residents of Eggons were among them and they were those who showed their assailants Alago houses and properties for destruction.
Mr. Obenu, who corroborated the general impression in the community, alleged poor handling of the security breach by the state government as reason why the destruction was so massive. He claimed that Governor Al-Makura visited the area the day the crisis broke out and called for cease-fire but no security men were officially drafted to maintain the peace and this supposedly gave the Eggon attackers the impetus to destroy the whole town the following day.
'We hold the government responsible for the killings and destructions that took place because they held back security from the day the violence broke out till 7:00pm the next day revealing that when a similar incident happened in the past it took the then governor Abdullahi Adamu four hours to restore normalcy and stem any destruction.
In a counter claim, Mr. James Akika, a civil servant said they have endured years of untold hardship from the hands of the Alago, especially through the instruments of the traditional institution.
He said, 'we stay together but when it comes to taking decisions that affect the whole community they will not consult us and whatever decision they arrive at we are forced to comply with it or be sanctioned'.
He added that if the Eggon people were not the patient and peace-loving type, such fights would have occurred so many times in the past, claiming 'this time around our people have been pushed to the wall'.
As to the crises, he said: 'The Alago people mobilised themselves and attacked Angwan Akika as early as 5:00am and started shooting at us. This attack continued until mid-day when our people thought it wise to defend themselves' adding that, 'we were only able to save our necks because of our numerical strength'.
It is, however, surprising how self-defense could lead to the total destruction of the whole town.
In his account, Ahmadu Eshagye Destiny, who just completed his Youth Service year, said any claim of self defense is a ruse aimed at distorting the truth. He alleged that the Eggon people were fully prepared for war unknown to the Alago community.
'They stationed the mercenaries and arms at Ashangwa, a village less than ten kilometers from Assakio, in addition to medical supplies and doctors to treat the wounded. By afternoon of Saturday, new unregistered Hilux Pick-Up vans were seen delivering ammunitions to the fighters', he alleged.
Speaking further, Eshagye said all the escape routes were blocked through Gidan Gambo and Logobi which made it difficult for people to run for their dear lives.
Given the near absence of security personnel a day after the fight broke out, save for those stationed at the Government Technical College, houses were not only set ablaze but pulled down after the fire.
An elderly woman who gave her name as Mama Akolo said her sister who suffers from stroke was burnt alive in her room since they could not carry her along. She added that since the day the fight broke out she has not set eyes on two of her children but was reliably informed that one of her sons had been killed.
When LEADERSHIP SUNDAY visited the refugee camp at the Dunama primary school in Lafia to sound out some of the refugees, Ikushimela Duga narrated: 'When we started hearing gunshots in the morning and made attempts to run, my husband and other elderly people in house asked us to go back that everything had been settled amicably the previous night.
She added; 'when the sound of gunshots became not only persistent but also coming nearer, I took my children and we made for the bush and after two days of wandering in the bush, we were able to seek people's help to reach this camp'.
An Igbo businessman, Chukudi Adaazu who lost three shops and all his property to the calamity, said as soon as he heard gunshots in the morning he gathered his family and ran to safety, 'staying for three days in the bush with only short knickers on me and a single wrapper on my wife. Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in my store'.
At the Lafia camp however, the refugees expressed eagerness to be resettled back to their domain by government and adequate security be provided.