The Management Committee Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, yesterday, said 148 people were killed in the Christmas Eve attack in the council. This came as the death toll in the massacre in three local government areas of the state rose to 195.
Of the number, 148 were killed in Bokkos Local Government Area, 19 in Mangu Local Government Area, and 27 in Barkin Ladi. 1,290 houses were burnt down in Bokkos council, one house was razed in Mangu LGA and that of Barkin Ladi was yet to be ascertained at press time.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, condemned the massacre in Plateau by terrorists in coordinated attacks in three local government areas on Christmas Eve.
The party described as heart-rending, the chilling reports of how defenceless Nigerians were gruesomely murdered and over 10,000 displaced by terrorists in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi areas of Plateau State, in unrestrained attacks which lasted till Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has asked the government at all levels to live up to expectations in their duty of protecting the lives and properties of citizens.
However, Vice-President, Kashim Shettima has assured the survivors of the co-ordinated attacks that the Federal Government will not let the incident slide but will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
Indeed, President Bola Tinubu approved activation of immediate humanitarian response and support to the victims of the Plateau massacre.
Also, a civil society organisation, Community Advancement and Humanitarian Enhancement Initiative, CSCHEI, has described as a stark reminder of the deep-seated security challenges that continue to plague the nation following Plateau massacre, which claimed over 150 lives and displaced scores.
The Management Committee Chairman of Bokkos LGA, Monday Kassa, who spoke, yesterday, said reports available to the council show that so far, 148 people died, 88 people are receiving treatments in different hospitals, 1,290 houses burnt, 25 communities were attacked.
He said, “These attacks are unprovoked and they were well coordinated by our assailants because they took place in all the 25 communities simultaneously.”
The Transition Committee Chairman of Mangu LGA, Markus Artu said, 19 persons were killed in the Lar’apya community in the Kerang District of Mangu.
He added that the 19 were from the same family and a house was burnt in the community, adding that the incident happened on December 23.
In Barkin Ladi LGA, Rwang Tengwong, the National Publicity Secretary, of Berom Youth Moulders-Association, BYM, said villages attacked include Daruwat, Hurum, Hirpiya, Mai Yanga and Ntv, while 26 persons were killed.
He said, that in Daruwat, eight persons were killed; Hurum, one person; Hirpiya, two persons; Mai Yanga, 16 persons and Ntv, 10 persons.
According to him, “The number of houses burnt is yet to be ascertained because three of the villages were completely razed and there are no people there.”
PDP slams APC FG for ‘emboldening’ terrorists
In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party took a swipe at the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration over what it described as its laid-back and insensitive attitude towards issues of security.
This, the party said had emboldened terrorists and bandits to surge up deadly attacks and opened the way for the killing of no fewer than 5,000 Nigerians since President Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023.
Ologunagba said: “Our party berates President Tinubu for always resorting to lame presidential condemnation by his media aides without any corresponding definite steps to protect Nigerians and stop this constant carnage in our nation.
“President Tinubu has practically abdicated his constitutional role as President and Commander-in-Chief, which is principal to ensure the security of lives and property, thus abandoning Nigerians to terrorists, bandits and marauders.
“Nigerians will recall how President Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast of July 31, 2023, had no words of commitment for security despite the escalated killing of over 500 Nigerians and many more abducted in Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kaduna and other states of the federation at that time.
“Even with the disturbing information that no fewer than 5,060 Nigerians were killed, with 2,263 others abducted since May 2023, as contained in the 2023 Nigeria Security Report by Beacon Consulting, which was also reported in the media, the Tinubu-led APC administration remains largely nonchalant and silent.
“There are apprehensions that what is happening in Plateau State is genocide and the Tinubu-led APC administration must be held responsible for the mindless killing under its watch, having failed in its constitutional role as provided in Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which states that “security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”.
“The PDP restates its demand for an urgent legislative public inquest into the killings as well as the undesirable disposition of the APC government on issues of insecurity in the country.
“The International Criminal Court, ICC, is also invited to commence an independent investigation to unravel the sponsors and perpetrators of this act of genocide.
“In this regard, special attention must be paid to prominent former and current leaders of the APC, who have at various times been alleged to have overtly encouraged, promoted, incited and endorsed acts of terrorism and genocide.
“This is especially against the backdrop of reports that over 63,000 Nigerians have been murdered by terrorists and bandits in the eight and half years of the Buhari/Tinubu APC-led government.
“While saluting the courage of patriotic security personnel, who remain unwavering in securing our nation despite the challenges, our party deeply commiserates with the families of the victims of these mindless killings enabled by the APC in Plateau State and other parts of the country and prays to God to bring succour to the wounded and the displaced.
“The party also demands that the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other relevant government agencies step up to provide required support to those wounded and displaced in the attacks.”
Sultan blows hot, tasks government to end insecurity
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has tasked the government at all levels to live up to expectations in their duty of protecting lives and properties of citizens.
The Sultan who was reacting to the recent Massacre of nearly 200 people in Plateau State by bandits wondered why government and security agencies could not detect the crime with its intelligence gathering apparatus before it happened.
Speaking at the 80th National Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) in Bauchi State, yesterday, he said:
“It is good for us to come closer and closer. This is one forum I try to encourage because this is where we meet as brothers and sisters in Islam. I want us as Muslims to close ranks. Now there’s the serious issue of insecurity.
“Just a couple of days back, there was this attack in Plateau (state) where over 100 lives were lost. Why do we keep on having these clashes? We always condemn such things, but after condemning these acts by bandits and criminals, what next?
“What are the roles of the government who are supposed to protect our lives and properties? They are not proactive? What happened to our intelligence-gathering mechanism? Can anybody tell me that nobody knows that those attacks were coming up? Whether it is in Sokoto, Bernin-Kebbi or Kaduna, have we lost our sense of gathering information to avert any of such heinous crimes? Why can’t you be proactive, why can’t you stop such attacks before they happen?” he queried.
He urged the government to be proactive to prevent needless loss of lives in future, warning that bandits seem to be ahead because their plans go unnoticed before they happen.
“We must task the government to up the game because these bandits are ahead. Some of us who have been opportune to serve in the military know the activities of security agencies. So, we will keep on acting questions. What is happening?
“Things are politicised. That is the worst way to go when you politicise insecurity. We all live in a country where we have poverty. Whether Muslims, Christians or people who don’t have religion, we all face the same reality.
“It the issue of leadership, but we have hope in the leadership that in the next months, things will change,” he added.
Tinubu deeply shaken by killings in Plateau – Shettima
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima has assured the survivors of the coordinated attacks in Bokkos, Plateau State that the Federal government will not let the incident slide but ensure that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
He said President Tinubu was deeply shaken by the incident and would not be allowed to persist under his watch.
The Vice President spoke, yesterday when he paid a visit to the survivors of the attacks who are gathered at the mini stadium, Bokkos.
He stated: “President Tinubu is deeply shaken by these killings in the Plateau State. Plateau used to be a very calm and peaceful place, the inter-community violence will not be allowed to persist under our watch. We are resolute in our commitment to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book. The government is here to deliver justice and resist the temptation to show hate towards others.
“Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Please accept our deepest apologies. Because we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe.
“We will harness all our resources to bring those responsible to justice. We will not rest until we can 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 ensure that the perpetrators of these mindless killings face the full force of the law.”
He, however, appealed to the people of Plateau State to resist what he described as “the temptation to succumb to sectional divisions or the poisonous rhetoric of hatred towards,” their fellow citizens while assuring that the government is set out to ensure justice and security for them.
“This violence persists due to this dangerous practice of treating criminals as ambassadors of their group, where the law is taken into our hands, and where protection fails. But this is not the case now. This is a promise,” Shettima assured.
Earlier, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the state appealed to the people to remain calm and promised that he was working with the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure peace.
Credit: Vanguard News Nigeria