By Noel Njoku
Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, took to the streets today demanding decisive action against the unending killings in parts of the state by suspected Fulani militants.
Led by the Plateau State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Polycarp Lubo, and other Christian leaders, the protesters who carried placards with various inscriptions, converged at the Fawvwei Junction community road, causing a heavy gridlock which left commuters stranded.
They urged the state and Federal Government to intervene to end violence against indigenes in the state.
The protest followed the visit to the state by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru and the service chiefs last week, during which Badaru assure the residents of imminent end to the violence in the state.
According to reports, the terrorists attacks are concentrated in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs, with over 100 persons killed in last two weeks.
The protesters went to the Government House to register their grievances with Governor Caleb Muftwang.
A faction of the CAN in the 19 northern states had demanded justice for victims and an end to the “senseless” killings.
Chairman of the CAN faction, Yakubu Pam, said the time has come for all stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, security operatives, and community-based organisations, to unite against the cycle of violence that has plagued Plateau for decades.
President Bola Tinubu had on April 14 Governor Caleb Mutfwang to address the “age-long” communal issues connected to killings in the state.
A day later, the governor said his administration was taking decisive steps to ensure the state does not experience a repeat of recent killings.
Mutfwang had subsequently announced a ban on night grazing and restricted the use of motorcycles.
The governor also prohibited the transportation of cattle by vehicles after 7.00 pm.., and described the killings as “coordinated acts of terror” intended to displace residents and deny them their right to live peacefully on their ancestral lands.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, promised that the elements behind the killings in Plateau state will soon receive the “surprise” of their lives.
He also lamented that the violence has negatively impacted farming activities in the state.
