by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Civil Society Organizations’ Forum in Plateau State has condemned the recent attacks and destruction of property (worth millions of naira) in 5 communities of Bokkos Local Government Area.
Chairman of the Forum, Rev. Chris Damcher, disclosed this on Saturday at the NUJ Press Center during a press briefing in Jos when he noted that, “Plateau State is on the news again for the continued killing and destruction of innocent lives and property by Fulani, who believe they will overrun the people of the land and occupy them.”
The CSO forum also observed and witnessed with great concern for almost two decades now the orchestrated, planned, well articulated and executed killing on the people of Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Bassa, Riyom and other local government areas of the state.
While calling on the withdrawal of the military from their streets and communities as the country is not at war as a matter of urgency, they said that, the military should focus on ending the activities of the bandits, who are terrorizing the citizens.
According to the forum chairman, “It is needless to have soldiers, who claim to be ‘providing security’ but only show up after every attack had been successful executed, just to help in evacuating dead bodies.”
He urged the State Government to embark on massive rehabilitation of rural roads to allow for easier access of communities under attack.
Rev Damcher disclosed that, “Since the call for the sitting of the state policing is still in the pipeline, the state government should strengthen the local security groups to enable them defend themselves to break the monopoly of only a particular set of people terrorizing the innocent citizens.
According to him, the CSO are in total disagreement of the call of some quarters to consider imposing a state-of-emergency in Plateau State, saying that they consider such calls as “malicious and baseless,” as the entire country suffers the unfortunate challenges of the insecurity.
“There is urgent need of proactiveness on the part of security agencies, both conventional and UN conventional alike, to curb the killings and destruction in Plateau State,” he stated.
While calling on Plateau communities to arise and unite in defending their ancestral lands and all means of livelihood for posterity, the chairman called on Plateau State Government to revisit the report of the Task Force for the return of IDPs to their ancestral lands and enforce recommendations of the report.