Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State have been identified to have the most deserted settlements, having little or no evidence of human activities, as well as being the most over-ran and occupied by strange people following a series of coordinated attacks which have affected the areas over the years, a recent finding by the Stefanos Foundation revealed.

Mark Lipdo, the Programme Coordinator of Stefanos Foundation, a Christian faith-based nongovernmental organization disclosed these at the end of a three-day prayer conference held at Miango, Bassa local government area, organized in collaboration with the Flame International, United Kingdom, and warned that the trend is fast spreading to other parts of the country.

His words, “Stefanos Foundation organized the National conference with a specific focus on praying for the land. The conference drew Stefanos representatives from the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. A team of six Flame International members led by Janice Ransom facilitated the conference, which featured teachings on Self Re-dedication, Forgiveness, and Emotional trauma and was capped by prayers for the land.

“This Prayer Conference was necessitated by a Stefanos Foundation research which revealed worrying evidence of strangers occupying most violence-affected areas in Nigeria. Between 6th and 20th December 2024, the Stefanos Foundation began research on occupied territories around violence-affected areas in Nigeria. The research, which started with a look at Plateau State, focused on the Northern and Central Senatorial zones of the State.

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“Some 171 GPS coordinates were collated, their status situation ascertained and were mapped in terms of: Deserted (no building and no living being present), Partially deserted (presence of building relics and very few people living), Mixed Fulanis and locals (community had been attacked but a mixture of locals and Fulanis were seen occupying the spatial space), Overran/occupied (communities taken over by Fulanis).

“The spatial analysis revealed Barkin Ladi and Riyom as the LGAs with the most deserted settlements having little or no evidence of human activities; these same LGAs also have the most over-ran and Fulani-occupied settlements. The partially deserted communities were mostly in Bokkos, Riyom, and Bassa. Bokkos is the only LGA that has settlements where the Fulanis and Locals are still seen living mixed together, even though they have experienced Fulani attacks before.”

He further stressed “79 communities are deserted, 33 communities are overrun and occupied by Fulani, 21 communities are partially deserted, three are mixed Fulanis and locals, and the total number of communities is 136. The findings came from Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, and Bassa. Some churches have been turned into mosques. Most of Stefanos Foundation’s delegates at the conference have reported similar situations observed in their States as well. In the future, Stefanos Foundation intends to also carry out such detailed research in those areas, all over the country.”

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Also, volunteers of the Foundation in the South West reported some worrisome trends as one of them, who spoke anonymously, stated, “I am a missionary, and I work among diverse people, including the Fulanis. I traverse Oke Ogun, Ibarapa, Iseyin, and other places in Oyo as well as Odeda in Ogun State. Before now, the Fulanis were peaceful, but these days, there is an influx of some other influential powers among them, and they are beginning to be very hostile.

“Kidnappings are a new order now, and recently, we have begun to make some shocking discoveries. For instance, we have HISBAH members who are on the payroll of Kano State in States in the South West. They are in Iseyin, Oke Ogun, Sarki, Ibadan, Akala Way, Elebu axis. They are in Osun along Ilesha exit 2 to the expressway to Ibodi. They are in Lekki, VI, in Lagos. When some people discovered them, they said they were vigilantes, that they were just there to caution their people.”

Earlier, the Team Lead of Flame International, Janice Ransom led the delegates into rededicating their individual lives to God as well as His service and into praying for God to redeem their land. Some team members, including Stephen Stewart, Sharon Borland, and Robert Barlow, encouraged survivors of violence in Plateau State in the communities they visited not to lose hope in God as the team taught about the healing of the spirit, forgiveness, reconciliation, being free from trauma and fear, among others.