President Tinubu must end killings in Plateau – PFN President

The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Bishop Francis Oke has tasked President Bola Tinubu to deploy the full force of the federal might to end the spate of insecurity especially in Plateau State, saying that peace in the State can no longer be postponed.

This is as the Convener of the Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria, IBBN, Prophet Isa El-Buba called on the President to halt his holidays and return to address insecurity by sending a comprehensive bill for State Policing to the National Assembly to forestall the “audacious regular killing and maiming of poor struggling Nigerians in lots of virtually ungoverned spaces with little or no security presence.”

The PFN President, accompanied by other PFN officials and members spoke in Jos on Thursday during a visit to the State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang to commiserate with him and the people of the State over the series of attacks which left over 100 persons dead and hundreds of homes destroyed.

He encouraged the people with the words of God from Psalm 29:11 and 2nd Thessalonians 3:16 and prayed that peace return to the State.

He said, “This killing is so painful coming at the festive season, the evil people struck to shed blood to stain our joy but joy won’t depart from Plateau State. The Lord will give strength to his people, the State needs strength at this time… We don’t want the peace to be postponed any longer. We call on the federal government to do something about security especially in Plateau State.

“President Tinubu has the mandate of the people to act, he has the wherewithal, to arise and bring the force of the federal might to end insecurity in Nigeria…”

Governor Caleb Mutfwang who received the PFN delegation commended the support of the Christian community for identifying with the State and noted, “The redemption of Nigeria depends on the Church, if the Church gets it right, there is hope for Nigeria, the PFN should be the vanguard for this… Tribalism is the biggest threat to our unity, the Church can break that barrier and unite the people. A divided army can’t win the battle. What’s happening in Plateau is not a clash but pure terrorism, we must understand its seriousness and tackle it.”

Prophet El-Buba at a press conference in Jos added, “I am grieved waking up for the umpteenth time to the provocating and heart-wrenching news with accompanying gory images of the mindless massacre of innocent Plateau citizens in Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi villages…

“The audacious regularity and ease with which attackers operate unchallenged on the Plateau and elsewhere in today’s Nigeria beats me hollow… Numerous policy recommendations on how to tackle this hydra-headed monster of killings are replete in the public space. One of these recommendations is a constitutional alteration to provide for state policing to complement the overstretched and insufficient central security operatives who need some over 24 hours to reinforce to an area where citizens are being butchered owing to their meagre number.

“It is on this note that I wish to call on President Bola Tinubu to halt his holidays and return to service and among other things, quickly send a comprehensive bill for state policing to the National Assembly to forestall the audacious regular killing and maiming of poor struggling Nigerians… I commend gallant boots on the ground and all defence security formations for their efforts…”

Meanwhile, a sociocultural group, Bokkos Local Government Like-minds Association also condemned what they termed as, “the despicable attacks that the Fulani herdsmen group continues to commit in various parts of Bokkos Local Government Area and some parts of Mangu and Barkin Ladi local government areas, which resulted to loss of lives, injury, and property burnt and looted and many others displaced from their ancestral homes on 23rd December 2023.”

A statement signed by the group’s leaders, Dr. Silas Nguwap and Mr. Musa Ngyak, reads, “The association is horrified by the recent massacre perpetrated on these communities; Kambar Peli, Ndun, Ngyong, Tahore, Chirang, Sanyang, Tuje, Sundul, Mai Yanga, Mutfet, Ndares, Bodel, Yalya Nono, Butura Campany, Gawarza-Mangor etc in Bokkos local government area. It reiterates its full solidarity with the people and Government of Bokkos local government area and expresses its deep sympathy to the families of the victims…

“While we commend the efforts of the security personnel, we call on them to redouble their efforts, especially in information sharing, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators… The association frowns at the arrest of victims defending their communities. We call on the government to release victims arrested and detained while defending themselves. Mobilize resources to provide humanitarian aid, shelter, and assistance to those displaced by these tragic events…”