By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – A coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Plateau State under the aegis of Plateau CSOs Forum has asked President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, withdraw the Military from the streets and direct them to focus their efforts in tackling bandits who are terrorizing citizens.
The Forum noted that it was needless to have soldiers claiming to be providing security in the State but only show up after every attack and help in evacuating dead bodies after the attacks had been successfully executed.
The body said this on the heels of the recent attacks in the Bokkos and Bassa local government areas of Plateau which claimed over 50 lives and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
The Forum, at a press conference on Saturday in Jos, frowned at the continued unprovoked attacks in communities in the State, saying the attackers should not be deceived into thinking that they would succeed in overrunning the people and taking over their lands.
Rev. Chris Damcher and Dr. Raulatu Piwuna, the Chairman and Secretary of the Forum, respectively, also cautioned those calling for a state of emergency in the State to desist as such is malicious and baseless.
They stated, “Plateau State is on the news again for the continued killing and destruction of innocent lives and properties by Fulani marauders who, in their follies, believe they will overrun the people of the land and maliciously occupy them.
“The Plateau CSO Forum has observed and witnessed with great concern the orchestrated, planned, well-articulated, and executed killing of the people of Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Riyom, and other LGAs in the State for no just cause.
“The Local Governments being attacked are blessed with suitable weather conditions for agriculture and livestock farming. There is the availability of rich mineral deposits in the land that have become attractive to the Fulani who are more into illegal mining across these LGAs. There are vast lands, mountains, and waterways which they take advantage of and want to possess at all costs.”
They observed, “Arrests are being made each time there is an attack, and the perpetrators who are of the Fulani extraction have never been prosecuted to deter their actions.
“We commend the Plateau State Government for quickly responding to the needs of the IDPs and for some arrests made. We call for justice against threats coming from the Fulani community.
“It is clear that the security architecture of Nigeria is faulty and calls for a review. In the days when there were no soldiers on our streets and communities, the country was more at peace than the present deployment of a heavy security presence with worsening insecurity.
“The influx and spread of the Fulani in Plateau State, particularly Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, and Riyom, has endangered the lives of the citizens. Every attack is always preceded by early warning signs but meets the absence of the security agencies who only show up after to take stock of the destruction done.”
The Forum, however, called on the “President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to, as a matter of urgency, withdraw the Military from our streets and communities as the country is not at war.
“The Military should focus on ending the activities of the bandits who are terrorizing the citizens. It is needless to have soldiers who claim to be providing security but only show up after every attack had been successfully executed just to help in evacuating dead bodies.”
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