Lawmakers, ALGON, CSOs, appeal intervention for Plateau attack communities survivors

From Daniel Dauda, Jos

The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, has

appealed to the survivors of the recent attacks in Plateau State to be patient as Governments at all levels take the necessary measures to contain the security challenges bedevilling the communities and the State at large

Similarly, the Transition Committee Chairmen of the 17 local government areas of the State and the Plateau CSOs Forum lament the renewed attacks, describing them as a monumental tragedy, and called for united efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the heinous acts.

The Speaker while briefing journalists in Jos stated, “The 10th Plateau State House of Assembly wishes to condemn in strong terms, the attacks on some communities of Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, which led to the loss of over 100 lives, with many houses burnt and properties lost. The House commends the immediate action taken by the State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang and Vice President Kashim Shettima in dousing the tension.

“We call on the Plateau State Government and the Renewed Hope agenda of the Federal Government not to relent in their efforts towards ensuring that normalcy returns to the affected communities.The House wishes to passionately call on the affected communities to understand such activities as an attempt to destroy the relative peace we have been enjoying in the State

“The State Legislature equally appeals to security agencies in the State, particularly the security outfits in those communities to stand firm and work proactively to discharge their primary mandate of maintaining peace and order without fear or favour as well as ensuring that bad elements and culprits perpetrating such dastardly acts are identified, apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

“While condoling with those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate attack, the House of Assembly appeals to the victims to the patient while Governments at all levels are taking necessary measures to contain the security challenges bedevilling the communities and the State at large.”

The State ALGON through its Chairman and Chairman of Wase LGA, Hamisu Anani condemned the attacks and commended the efforts of Governor Mutfwang for his “prompt response and the repeated calls on security agencies to tackle the situation headlong through the provision of logistics and the needed support in fishing out the perpetrators of this devilish act.”

The body acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s efforts at bringing succour and appealed to the sponsors of the attacks to reconsider, as “there is nothing to gain from such violence and the spirit of the Plateau people will not be broken.”

He noted, “ALGON expresses sympathy to the affected families and communities and urged citizens to stand strong, assuring them that the government is actively working to address the situation while calling for calm in the affected areas.”

Meanwhile, Rev. Chris Damcher who is the Chairman, of the Plateau CSOs Forum added, “The Plateau Civil Society Organizations Forum hereby extends our sincere condolences to the government, families and traditional Heads of affected communities over the unfortunate and irreparable loss and pray that the souls of the departed rest in peace.

“The killings in Plateau started on 7th September 2001, it has since grown into a massacre, and a barbaric act of violence cowardly engineered which counter every known attitude of a normal human being, who believes in the sanctity of human life. As is common with most of the attacks meted on communities, there are most often early warning security alerts circulated on social media. We are fully convinced that such information usually gets to the security agencies and relevant authorities but we are so worried and saddened that each time such planned attacks by the same so-called Fulani Militia are circulated, their plans are usually executed to a high percentage unabated.

“There is hardly or never a proactive measure(s) by the security operatives to counter the early warnings circulated nor intercept the attackers in the act. The early warnings are often not mere social media assertions as most often taken, so dismissed by those who have the mandate to respond to such information.It is no longer news that the attackers are not only after the lives of the community dwellers but truly their ancestral and God-given lands to occupy…

“The lands are being taken over and no government and traditional institutions are fighting or promoting the returning of the IDPs to their ancestral land, while the grabbers are moving around freely and molesting citizens.”

He stated further, “The Fulani herders that we know and have been in Plateau State for several years cannot confront their host communities whom they have cohabited with for decades. It is, therefore, obvious that there are sponsors of these acts of criminality and inhumane action against the peace-loving people of Plateau State.

“These incessant attacks have huge impacts on the formal education of the children, creates an increase on several vulnerable children, loss of breadwinners giving rise to child-headed households, healthcare is compromised, food security is greatly threatened, loss of a source of livelihood (mostly farming and mining), lowered quality of life and loss of housing amongst other issues.This action is highly condemnable and calls for accelerated actions to end these cycles of attacks on innocent, unsuspecting and peace-loving citizens…”