DANCING ON THE PRECIPICE: HATEFUL ATTACKS AGAINST GOVERNOR LALONG

First it was a protest/attack in government house little Rayfield where some top government officials narrowly escaped the onslaught of a raging mob disguised as mourners on June 27, 2018. What started as a peaceful protest would later be hijacked by hoodlums who apparently were acting a certain nasty political script.

And now another assault targeted at the Governor after his visit to the IDP camp located in the premises of Geoscience hall in Bukuru on July 14, 2018. During that visit the Governor sympathized with the IDPs and gave assurances of government’s support and humanitarian assistance. It was while he was about to leave the IDP camp that insanity prevailed.

Yet, in both incidents, it would appear that the goal is not only to embarrass the government but to inflict bodily harm, emotional injury and worse still, assassinate the Governor if possible.

This is felony.

Looking at the pattern that has emerged from these two ugly experience, it would seem that the attackers only executed a part of a broader plan to systematically undermine a democratic government and hence destabilize the state.

Unsurprisingly, we have also observed the intensification of crass subterfuge and brazen mischief in both low and high places.

Two serious attacks happening in one month, is clearly a demonstration of a resolve to execute a sinister agenda and if not to instigate a fraticidal war.

This is very troubling to me.

In the first attack, our government house in little Rayfield was vandalised with cars smashed and window glasses shattered. It was a clear case of a security bridge that would have gone out of hand if not for the professional conduct of security agencies on the ground who refused to be provoked into violently pushing back.

In the second attack, the Governor was clearly the target of a grand design for outright liquidation. He barely escaped unhurt. But stones and other sharp projectiles damaged the windscreen and side mirror of his car. They came too close.

The official vehicles of two commissioners and also the bus conveying the governor’s press crew were badly damaged.

This is unacceptable, another reprehensible act too many that must not only be condemned but addressed with firm hands.

We may disagree on the political choices we make, we may disagree with the style or philosophy of the Lalong led administration, we may disagree with the policy agenda of the government, we may even disagree over the question of faith. But one thing we cannot afford to take for granted however is the overeaching implications of the insipient evil that is beginning to take a better part of us.

This evil is finding expression in hate campaigns, inflammatory statements, rumour mongering and now direct attacks on the person and office of the executive governor of Plateau State.

This has got to stop.

Plateau has enemies from within and from without. But these demons must be identified and exorcised at the same time. Beating drums of war or fanning the embers of ethnic and religious hatred is a dangerous mix and certainly not a viable option at confronting the problem.

We must be clear on this, No one fights and wins ethnic or religious wars any longer. Not in this modern age. It is simply a futile and hopeless project and one whose devastating legacy we may never be able to recover from.

There are better and constructive ways of fighting government’s you don’t agree with and so also are other political enemies whether perceived or imagined. This systematic onslaught against governor Lalong will not help.

Our energy and even anger should be channelled into constructive and strategic engagements that are solution driven and carried out within the limts of the norms and values that define or qualify a decent and civilised people.

Anything short of this must be rejected and condemned outrightly, and with a loud voice.

The growing threats of attacks on governor Lalong and some of his appointees illustrates how low we have sunk in recent times.It also represent an affront to our collective struggle in building a stable democratic society since 1999.

Too much blood is already flowing freely in our land and we don’t seems to understand or realise that each of those droplets represent a generational curse that may never be reversed. But If you think assaulting a governor will make these troubles disappear, then you are indeed a huge joke.

Community, traditional and religious leaders must wade into this. They should call these people to order. All men of good conscience should also raise their voices against those politicians, social media activists and peddlers of hate who are determined to bring down the roof upon everyone’s head. Similarly, civil society groups and members of the Plateau state house of assembly should equally raise up to the occasion to clamp down this monster.

I have never believed that the renewed attacks in some villages has to do with indigenous farmers on the one hand and herders in the other. It goes far beyond these two set of actors and if the ugly turn of events is anything to go by, then it should be clear to any keen observer of our conflict dynamics desperate political and economic forces are orchestrating this evil.

For them, this only but a chip to negotiate the next political dispensation but to us, this is immoral.

Joseph Lengmang
Director General
Plateau Peace Building Agency.

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DANCING ON THE PRECIPICE: HATEFUL ATTACKS AGAINST GOVERNOR LALONG