On Thursday, April 31, 2015 the people of Doron in Barkin Ladi local government witnessed the commissioning of borehole dug for the community by the Special Task Force, STF, Operation SAVE HAVEN in continuation of its civil military relations. MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU reports on the momentous event and its impact on the community
The Special Task Force, STF, Operation SAVE HAVEN under the leadership of Major General David Enetie acknowledged that solving the challenges of insecurity and building enduring relationship between security agencies in general and officers and men of STF in particular goes beyond deployment of troops to various communities in Area of Responsibilities in Plateau and part of Bauchi state. This approach is in line with global trends of troops deploying civil-military strategy to win heart and minds of the people.
This effort has been deployed in various communities through organization of sporting events, meeting and consulting with various aggrieved communities, providing relief materials among others. It has also yielded positive result. Today, it has been observed by various stakeholders in the state that such effort by STF has restored peace, built confidence and trust as well as reintegrated various people within various communities in Plateau State.
It is continuation of this laudable effort that the STF Commander, Major General Enetie constructed a borehole for Doron Village in Barkin Ladi Local Government of Plateau state.
The construction of the borehole was outcome of STF Commander’s visit to the community when crisis erupted. And having studied the challenges and one of the cause of friction between the Beroms and Fulani cattle herdsmen he decided to build a borehole to ensure ensure that the attained relative peace was maintained.
Doron village is a settlement that is manly inhibited by the Berom tribal extraction, who are farmers and cohabitated by the Fulani herders. , is a locality under the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, and it shares boundary with another community of Mangu Local Government Area of the State.
Indeed, due to conflict resolution effort by STF Commander and deployment of troops , the community has maintained relative peace since it had crisis once engulfed the area.
A community leader said: “since then the community has not witnessed another, the community which sometimes in 2013. STF Commander visited us and ensured that adequate security measures was in place to further prevent the reoccurrence of any violent conflicts, and also encouraged peaceful living amongst the people.”
To this effect, the STF Commander, General Enetie, does not only stopped at deployment of security personnel, to the area, but went further and identified the immediate need of the Doron and Pandadi communities, whom he described as a “role model of peace,” and discovered that they desired good portable drinking water which amongst other essential amenities that the community is lacking.
Soon after identifying that water is the most immediate essential amenity, the STF, did not hesitate in seeing that a hand held borehole was constructed at a neutral area where both inhabitants will be meeting to collective fetch water, for their use, and to primarily serves as a meeting point where different People will be meeting to talk amongst themselves, and promote peaceful coexistence, to also build trust and confidence in one another.
While commissioning the borehole General Enetie said that the STF, have since inception been doing all that is possible to ensure that peace continue to thrive.
He said: “As STF, we have since inception been doing our best to ensure that peace thrived in order to allow social and commercial activities to also thrived.”
At arrival in the village the STF, and all other persons in its entourage were giving a rousing reception as the people patiently waited for the arrival, while others dressed in their traditional ways danced, and were singing, and saying; “Thank you for bringing water, you are welcome, thank you for making us lives in peace.”
The STF, Commander, could not hide his joy with the community when in he stated during his speech, that; “As part of our peace building efforts, we have visited the community in 2013, and since then it has been a most peaceful, community.”
Enetie said the way and manner his entourage were always received shows that the community is a most hospitable one.
According to Enetie, the STF, as part of its Civil-Military Relations, the water project is in furtherance of its appreciation to the community’s efforts towards promoting peace and harmonious coexistence amongst various ethnic groups, residents within it.
The STF, efforts was accepted with full appreciation by the people who had also graced the occasion, amongst whom was the Executive Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Hon. Emmanuel Loman, in whose Area of leadership the project was sited, stressed that besides ensuring the security to lives and properties, “We appreciate the STF for ensuring that peace is cardinal.”
According to him the people in the area have been sleeping with their; “two eyes closed.”
Loman further said, the STF, under Enetie, has done a lot of things apart from their primary job of ensuring security of the People.
“That the STF, have giving water is just like they have also giving a life, besides giving security you have also been giving social amenities ,” and “ That the gesture will be kept in memory for life,” he added.
Loman state that they will continue to give the STF, all the necessary support to do its work, he urged the people to continue to live in peace with one another, further advised them not to take the law into their hands.
He admonished them to report any suspicious movement of persons to the security personnel; “Do not attack anybody.”
The village head Mr. Ishaya Gwom Pam, who could also not hide his feelings said the community have prior to this time, “never dreamt of having a borehole in our lives.”
Mr. Pam stressed that the STF, have solved one of the major problems disturbing them in the village, because a lot of people come from even other communities to fetch the water.
“We thank you and we hope, you will be Nigeria’s President, because of your compassionate,” Pam enthused.
The village who indicated the lack of Government presence in the area, further requested for the construction of additional blocks of class rooms for the only primary school and if possible a secondary school.
Also in his speech the representative of the Fulani herders, who is the deputy Hardo, Sale Tukur Bayero, said the STF’s gesture was indeed a good thing to them, which has also boost the harmonious relationship and peace.
He said it has brought succor to their plight, of having portable drinkable water.
“Before the borehole was sink we use to have conflict between us and the Berom,, because we takes our cattle to drink from the river, we all also drink from the same source, but since the time when the borehole was sink, we do not have quarrels, and whenever we comes to fetch from the borehole they tells us that, we have left the river side for your cattle and dogs to drink,” Bayero said.
He added that they are now living peacefully, with one another, stressed that they wish more of the boreholes could be sink amongst other closer communities.
Before rounding up the event Major General Enetie, who couldn’t hide his satisfaction with the way and manner the villagers expressed themselves, he responded to some of the issues they also raised.
He said the STF, did what it did to them, in also in appreciation of their hospitality to officers and men of the STF, “which shows your commitment to peace.”
Enetie said, the Local Government Chairman is the Political master of the area, and such the People’s request for additional class rooms and other amenities that make the presence of government felt, should be forwarded to him.
The Commander however, assured the People that he will continue to lend his voice, on issues that bothers them, he stressed that he will continue to be in touch with them, wherever he might be.
Also at the event were officers and men of the STF, as well as members of the Doron and Pandadi Communities.
