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• ACF seeks declaration of state of emergency in banditry-prone communities
• 17 Plateau councils’ chairmen condemn attacks, call for arrest of perpetrators
• Akpabio, others condole with govt, bereaved families

From, Abuja,, Jos,

Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday assured Nigerians that the Bola Tinubu administration will ensure that victims of attacks in Plateau State communities get justice and the residents’ lives and property are safe and secured.

A statement in Abuja by his spokesman Stanley Nkwocha said Shettima gave the assurance when he visited Barkin-Ladi and Bokkos local government areas of Plateau State to condole with the people and government over the killings.

He said: “Now, please, accept our heartfelt condolences. Please, accept our deepest apologies because we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe.”

Shettima stressed that the President “is deeply shaken by this tragedy and shares in this unspeakable sorrow that has shattered the joy of Christmas across the country”.

He added: “When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics. The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences.”

The Vice President described the attacks as nightmarish, saying it was traumatising to bury family members in such a circumstance.

“We cannot fathom the depth of this grief beyond the experience of the bereaved. We can only offer to assuage your pain. What has happened to you is a funeral for the entire nation. Our hearts bleed alongside yours, our dear brothers and sisters in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and all over Plateau State,” he said.

Shettima assured the people that the Tinubu administration would protect them and ensure justice, though it might appear to some people that the government had failed them in their time of serious need.

The Vice President stressed that justice is the path to collective safety, unity, and healing of the nation.

“We came to power promising to uphold the sanctity of every citizen’s life. Now is the time to reassure you that this inter-community violence, which has hijacked the humanity and serenity of this beautiful state over the past decades, will never persist under our watch.

“We will harness all our resources to bring those responsible to justice. We will not rest until we are able to prevent the recurrence of these heinous acts.

“Your blood, your tears, and your cries stain our collective conscience. We are here for you; we are here, resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of these mindless killings face the full force of the law,” he said.

Also, mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), expressed sadness over the attack on Plateau communities.

The forum urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in banditry-prone communities.

A statement yesterday in Kaduna by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, reads: “The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has been greatly saddened by the attack by terrorising gangs on communities in Plateau State, on December 23, 2023, tragically resulting in the death of over 100 persons with many injured.

“In terms of their gruesome impact on lives and property, the attack adds to sad memories of the bombing incident at Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, and, by rampaging bandits in Zurmi, Zamfara State, both within just weeks apart.

“ACF mourns the dead and commiserates with the injured. The forum condoles with families of the victims and prays to God to grant the deceased eternal rest, as well as to fortify the faith of those left behind so they remain stoic and bear the losses with equanimity.

“ACF equally prays for quick recovery for of the traumatised and injured. Without downplaying worrisome incidents of insecurity elsewhere in the country, ACF wishes to draw attention to how such attacks serve as graphic reminders about the parlous state of security of citizens in Arewa communities and elsewhere in general. ACF reiterates its stance that every such incident is one too many.”

Also, transition committee chairmen in 17 local government areas of Plateau State have condemned the attacks on residents of Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the state.

The local government chairmen, under the aegis of the Association of local government (ALGON), spoke through its Chairman Hamisu Anani, who is also the Chairman of Wase Local Government Area.

They said the renewed attacks across the communities, especially those of Christmas Eve, called for united efforts to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

In statement in Jos, the state capital, ALGON said the coordinated attacks on more than 20 villages led to the death of over 100 persons and displacement of hundreds of others with destruction of properties worth millions of naira.

The association hailed Governor Caleb Mutfwang for his prompt response and repeated calls to security agencies to find a lasting solution to such attacks.

It also hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the Army to secure many parts of the country that were hitherto under severe insecurity.

Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has expressed concern over the attack in Plateau State.

He urged the government to move beyond condemnation and implement enhanced security measures.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the eighth National Islamic Vocational Course organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium yesterday in Bauchi, the Sultan said there was a need to address the escalating insecurity in the country.

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He said: “For some of us who are opportune to serve in the military, we know what the activities of these security agencies are. So, we keep on asking questions about what is really happening. Things are politicized, and that is the worst way to go when you politicise insecurity. We are all in one big country where we have poverty. Yes.

“We always condemn such things, but after condemning such activities by these bandits and criminals, what next? What are the roles of the governments that are supposed to protect lives and property? Why can’t we be proactive and stop such attacks before they happen? What happened to our intelligence-gathering mechanism?

“Let’s wake up. The time for deep slumber is over.”

Also, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Miyetti  Allah, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have condoled with the government and people of Plateau State over the killing of over 100 persons in about 26 villages.

A condolence message to Governor Caleb Mutfwang by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, yesterday in Abuja, reads: “My heart bleeds at the barbaric and well-coordinated attacks by supposedly human beings against the hapless and peaceful people of Plateau State. I condole with the governor, Mr. Caleb Mutfwang, the government, and the people of the state over this tragedy.

“I sympathise, particularly with the bereaved families, and I wish those who sustained injuries a quick recovery.

“While I pray God to grant those who lost their lives eternal rest, I implore the security agencies to redouble their efforts in the quest to restore law and order and track down the assailants to face the full weight of the law.”