Chanchanji Don dey Catch Fire: People dey Suffer as Violence No Go End

Chanchanji, Taraba State – As e be now, Chanchanji people dey face serious wahala. Once sweet farming communities don turn ashes, and thousands of families dey pack for makeshift camps like say dem dey play gingerbread house. Hunger, disease, and uncertainty don come like stubborn fly wey no wan go away.

For one IDP camp wey dey Amadu, mothers dey hold children wey no fit fit shine their eyes like person when dem don sleep for morning. 82-year-old Mama Martina Yev dey hold her grandson blood-soaked shirt like e be di last link wey dey join her to life. “They killed my child in my hands,” she dey talk like say e no go fit talk again.

The only pikin wey remain for her don go meet God when e try save am during some attack for November. “He lifted me and ran,” she dey tell anybody wey fit hear am. “I begged them to kill me, too, but they walked away.” E be like movie, but sad part be say na real life dem dey live us.

As Mama Martina dey there dey cry, small pikin dem dey play around like say dem no sabi wetin dey happen. But o, no be only Mama Martina dey face this pain. Across Southern Taraba, plenty stories wey dey break heart dey waka around like free styles for street. More than 50 people don die, hundreds don injure, and thousands don dey stay for makeshift camps wey no get beta light.

Simon Terhemba, wey be district head of Mberev, talk say, “They destroyed everything, our houses, our crops, our churches.” E pause, dey look small children wey dey poke charred pot like say dem dey find gold. “The fate of these displaced people hangs in the balance.” Na true talk, my padi.

This wahala nor come from sky, o. By late October, villagers don dey notice some funny cattle movements and strange people dey waka near their farms. Meetings don happen, peace agreement don ginger people, but no be so e be na. First, dem destroy crops, then demand for money, then dem turn to killing spree. Fulani leader, Mallam Sanusi Umar, dey insist say na “outsiders” but local leaders talk say e be dat planned and well-orchestrated violence.

Bishop Mark Nzukein from Catholic Diocese of Wukari dey cry out say “Over 335 churches don scatter.” He dey talk say “More than 80,000 of our members dey displaced. Over 300 communities don wipe out. E pain.” No be say dem wan do church service o, na burial dem dey plan now.

Two days ago, wahala don burst again as armed herders invade Amadu community wey dey try rest small. Six people lost their lives, and just like dat, people don dey run again. “We want peace, but the government must protect us,” Titus Himanyian, one of the protesters talk, but na wetin dem go do? E be like say na empty promise dem dey share.

Inside IDP camps, life no get beta beta story in regard to food and safety. Children wey get wounds dey pour hot water on dem. Mamas dey share one bowl of garri for five children like say na maths dem dey solve. “We have been abandoned,” Paul Tyo, district head of Mbatyula dey shout. “We are farmers, not beggars.” Na true talk, but wetin government go do? Na question wey nobody fit answer.

Police Commissioner, CP Betty Otimenyin, dey try explain say di kind attacks dey very difficult to contain. “These attackers strike and retreat quickly,” she dey talk. Dem no fit place officers for every corner like say dem be market sellers. But na wetin dem go do to save these people? Di pain dey heavy.

As nightfall dey come, the word ‘tomorrow’ no longer brings hope. Dem dey sleep with shoes because e be like say na when dem dey sleep, wahala go find dem. Thousands like Mama Martina dey wake up every day with heavy hearts and fear for tomorrow. Who go help dem? Na di big question wey dey hang for air.