Christian and Muslim faithfuls across Plateau State on Monday converged at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos to pressure the State and Federal Government to put an end to the decades of killings especially with the recent killing of over 200 people in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of the State.
The Christian community, led by ECWA President and Head of Plateau State Church Denomination Leaders, Rev (Dr) Stephen Baba Panya and the State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Very Rev.
Fr. Polycarp Lubo said, “Enough is enough of the wanton killings and destruction of means of livelihood in the state.”
The ECWA President Rev. Panya, while presenting a petition with 10-point demands to the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang for onward presentation to President Bola Tinubu on behalf of Christian community, noted that the immediate provision of relief materials to survivors of the recent attacks is paramount.
“For many years, Christians in Plateau State have come under persistent attacks and killings without any decisive action taken to stop the killings.”
In the last 22 years of killings, no serious attackers and their sponsors have been apprehended and properly prosecuted and sanctioned to the best of our knowledge.
“Therefore, over the years, the attackers and their sponsors have become more emboldened to continue in their satanic schemes while Christians are left in pain and sorrow.”
He also added that, “These attacks are depressing to any sane mind and too barbaric to be happening in a post-modern society.
“This is why we are gathered here today and in one loud voice declare that: Enough is enough!” the Rev. Panya stated.
They called for the establishment of North Central Development Commission to rebuild destroyed communities and facilitate the recovery of victims and their reintegration into the society.
The Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Most Rev. Dr. Mathew Ishaya Audu expressed concerns whether the Nigerian Government has accepted defeat in fighting insurgency and the ravaging banditry going on in Plateau State and other parts of the country.
Similarly, the Muslim community in Plateau State led by the JNI Chairman and Emir of Wase, HRH Sambo Haruna III also converged at the Government House and condemned the killings across communities of Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi and Mangu LGAs in recent times.
They reiterated their commitment to peaceful coexistence and urged the Governor and the Federal Government to ensure that those behind the years of killings are brought to face the full wrath of the law as a deterrent to others.
The Muslim community insisted that, lack of arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the killings in has over the years, continued to fuel the unabated killings despite the commission of inquiries and whitepapers by the previous administration.
“We are here to condole with his Excellency the Executive Governor of Plateau and the people of Plateau State on these unfortunate killings. The problem is that those who have perpetrated these killings in the past were not dealt with.
“For instance, if those that have done this were arrested and prosecuted, we won’t be having a repeat of these killings in our communities.”
“We encourage the Government to arrest those perpetrators, and prosecute them,” the Emir stated.
Plateau State Governor, Mutfwang in his remarks expressed gratitude to the religious bodies for standing with him in these trying times and promised to transmit the various demands to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
