PLATEAU INSECURITY: UNRAVEL THE UNKNOWN GUNMEN IN OUR SOCIETY—APC ELDERS COUNCIL, CHARGE SECURITY AGENCIES (READ UNEDITED TEXT)

A TEXT OF A WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE PLATEAU STATE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS ELDERS COUNCIL PRESENTED TO THE PRESS TODAY, FRIDAY, 3RD OF SEPTEMBER 2021 AT KALWA HOUSEJOS, PLATEAU STATE

PROTOCOL

(Observation of a Minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives)

We members of Plateau All Progressives Congress Elders Council express our deepest concern, sadness and grief on the unfortunate and senseless killings of innocent citizens in Plateau State. These attacks in Riyom LGA, Miango in Bassa Local Government Area, Rukuba Road and Yelwa Zangam in Jos North and all other isolated attacks that have taken place in the recent times is condemnable, unwarranted and  satanic.

We join all well meaning citizens to commiserate with the families of the deceased who lost their lives in an unprovoked destruction of lives and properties of the good people of Plateau State.

We therefore wish to state that Plateau has a long standing history of hospitality, accommodation, tolerance, peaceful coexistence with all manner of people and united in love for one another. No wonder lots of great men and women that have excelled in academia, sports, music, acting and a host of other human endeavours, have their beginner stage from Plateau State. Should we have to list them, you will see how enormous they are.

We are a people of good culture, guided by excellent values and norms and therefore we are surprised to see our youth driving around town with the dead bodies uncovered and dragging them without any iota of dignity and honour.

We condemn such action in its totality. This attitude is completely alien to our people and therefore it has caused additional pain and trauma to the families who lost their loved ones and the good citizens of Plateau State.

We must understand as a people that violence will bring us no good. We must once again reconcile with ourselves, forgive one another, show love and tolerate one another as found in our religious books.

It is on this note that we stand in solidarity with His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG and the good people of Plateau State in this trying moment. We wish to encourage him to continue with the peace process he is known for.

Plateau State has had its fair share of the dark days, where external forces take advantage of the polarization of our citizens on the basis of ethnicity, religion and political leanings. No one will wish to experience those days again where people’s lives were wasted without remorse, distrust amongst citizens, and  killings were the order of the day.

Having watched keenly how events have unfolded from 2001 to this day, we must come together as a people of good conscience bounded together in love and unity for the good of Plateau State irrespective of tribe and religion.

It will be in the interest of Plateau State if the Plateau State Government revisits and identifys the youths of Plateau State that were trained abroad in security and intelligence gathering by the last administration as contained in the transition committee report, so that they are merged with the 3000 vigilantes trained by this current administration.

This will further boost and complement the efforts of the conventional

security agencies in information gathering and tracking down bad elements amongst the residents of Plateau State.

COMMENDABLE EFFORTS OF THE PLATEAU STATE GOVERNOR ON

THE RESTORATION OF PEACE ON THE PLATEAU IN THE LAST SIX YEARS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION

Plateau State is on the march again to greatness with the coming of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG. On assumption of office in 2015, he placed before him the Five Pillar Policy of his Administration, cardinal amongst them are “Peace, Security and Good Governance”.

This he prioritized and gave it his all to see that peace is restored in Jos – Bukuru Metropolis and all the Local Governments that were under constant threats and attacks, such places as Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South. He achieved the relative peace we all yearn for, by bringing together the Berom

and the Fulanis to dialogue together, which they did and reconciliation took place that was climaxed with the signing of an agreement  which is now a working document.

We also wish to commend the efforts of the Governor in exploring the option of consultative dialogue and reconciliatory means in resolving the crisis between the Fulani and Irigwe that brought them also to signing a peace treaty. This is encouraging as there is no alternative to peace and the only way to go as no amount of attack or reprisal will bring to the table any form of human desire.

We are aware that the Executive Governor of Plateau State recently procured security vehicles and motorcycles to boost the efforts of security personnel in the State as well as the training of 3,000 Vigilantés to give a helping hand to conventional Police for the protection of lives and properties in the State. This is also commendable, and be actualized.

RESOLVES OF THE PLATEAU STATE APC ELDERS COUNCIL

1. Sympathizes with the Berom Nation, Irigwe Nation, the families of victims of the Rukuba Road Attacks, the Anaguta Nation, the Fulanis and all families who lost their loved ones on account of the senseless killings.
2. Condemns in totality any form of unwarranted and unprovoked attack and destruction of human lives, farms and cattle while also calling on the security agencies to be up and doing in the protection of the lives and properties of citizens of Plateau State and Nigeria in General.
3. Calls on the security agencies to present the perpetrators of the heinous acts for immediate prosecution so that justice will be served to all who are affected.
4. Calls on the people of Plateau to eschew bitterness and embrace peace, dialogue, reconciliation and forgiveness which is divine.
5. The Plateau State APC Elders Council condemns the uncultured manner with which the corpses of the dead victims were mishandled. It is not in the character of the people of Plateau State to desecrate the body of the dead. This singular behavior has further traumatized and caused pains to the families of the deceased and citizens of the State.
6. Even when we respect the right of our citizens to protest, we advise that protest should be carried out in a responsible and civilized manner.
7. We call on all citizens of Plateau State to stop forthwith the politicization of killings arising from the crisis for it will do us no good.
8. The Council wishes to call on all its citizens including politicians to refrain from influencing and encouraging citizens to resort to self help; this when

encouraged will allow for proliferation of arms in our society with attendant negative consequences in the near future.

9. The Plateau State All Progressives Congress Elders Council enjoin the Rescue Administration to revisit and dust its transition committee report, so as to identify citizens of Plateau State that were hitherto trained abroad by the last administration on security and intelligence gathering, to be reabsorbed into the Operation Rainbow to complement the recently trained three thousand (3,000) vigilantes.
10. Appeal to the Federal Government to as matter of urgency redeem the pledge of Ten Billion Naira (N10,000,000,000) made to Plateau State for the rebuilding and resettlement of the IDPs as well as reconciliation processes. In the same circumstance appealsto the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency to hasten the process of presentation of relief materials to alleviate and ease the suffering of the affected victims and communities.
11. The Council condemns any form of ethnic profiling because it breeds hatred amongst the good people of Plateau State.
12. Supports all the peace processes which Governor Lalong has embarked upon; they are thus, consultative meetings with the different ethnic groups, dialogue and reconciliatory sessions coordinated by the Plateau Peace Building Agency that have resulted in signing peace accord that gave rise to the relative peace enjoyed in the last six years of the Rescue Administration.
13. The Elders hereby caution citizens, critical stakeholders and those holding positions of leadership of any kind against making inflammatory comments that will instigate conflict or jeopardize the peace efforts of government, civil societies and well spirited individuals.
14. The Council urges the security agencies to step up their intelligence network to unravel the unknown gun men in our society. This when done, will bring to end killings of peaceful and innocent citizens.
15. The Council appeals to citizens to at all point in time consider the interest of one another while also tolerating each other since we are brought together in one place calls Plateau State by God. Peace is not negotiable and we must learn to live in peace with one another irrespective of ethnic and religious background.
16. The Council thanks and appreciates all the Members of the National Assembly and Plateau State House of Assembly for standing together with the Governor and Plateau State in this trying moment while also seeking ways to end the violence in the State.
17. As party men we encourage the practice of internal democracy where members are treated fairly, equitably and in a justifiable manner.
18. We also appreciate the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) for taking out tim 4 visit Plateau State to ascertain the extent of damages done and held discussions with the people of Plateau State on the ways to foster peaceful and harmonious coexistence in Plateau State.
19. Finally, we the Plateau APC Elders Council pray that the Almighty God will comfort the families that lost their loved ones and grant them the fortitude to bear this painful and devastating loss.

Thank you and and God bless Plateau State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Chief Baba Capt. J.M. Din Rtd.

Chairman,

Plateau State APC Elders Council

Amb. Danladi Wuyep

Secretary,

Plateau State APC Elders Council