Norma's Letter from Jos: 11 August 2011

Note: Norma runs Zamani vegetable farms, near Jos ... 

Hello customers,

It has been quite a wet week on the farm. We have had heavy rains nearly every day or night ...

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Unfortunately, we are still not at peace here in Plateau State. As you might have read in the newspapers, there was an incident the other night involving Fulani cattle herders and local people in which 10 people lost their lives. This occurred very close to our farm. In fact, our security guards heard shooting, shouting and cattle crying in the night, although they didn't know exactly what was happening.

The facts of the incident vary according to whom you ask. But what we heard from security forces was that a group of migrant Fulani attacked a village and killed three people. They then ran to a neighbouring community where there were resident Fulani with cows who have been living there, and hid among the cattle. The resident Fulani then called the security forces and told them the whereabouts of the marauders. The local vigilante group (they are all over in Plateau State now) came and attacked them and killed seven. Many cows were also stolen in the process. We hope that this situation will not escalate and lead to a generalised crisis in the area. As you know, our farm is located in an area (about 30km from Jos) which has been very volatile since the crisis of January 2010, and this has caused many problems, particularly for our workers who have to walk through the bush before coming to work, and who are currently very frightened. The general insecurity has led to difficulties for us in recruiting labor for the farm, as many people are afraid to come to Kuru because of the events of 2010. Kuru village remains a sort of ghost town, with virtually no one living there any more, with all the former houses destroyed. So it is not a good situation for us. We had hoped that things are settling down enough for us to function effectively on the farm, but occasional incidents like this are not good portents.

Meanwhile, we will continue to work on the farm, and do the best we can under the circumstances, which are not at all ideal at the moment....