Plateau State Association United Kingdom UK said they are displeased, bitter and saddened by the incessant and brutal killings of their brothers, Women, children and their parents back home in Plateau State Nigeria by the Fulani militia.

They said the fulani militia killed their innocent families in cold blood, burnt, macheted and gunned down in their farms and homes while they sleep and go about their daily activities- a callous and senseless treatment of human life, saying they unequivocally condemn the abhorrent, terrorist acts.

In a press statement released on 1st September 2021, Signed by the President Plateau state Association Uk, Mr. Rwang Chall also admits that
Governor Simon Bako Lalong has failed the people of the state.

“The Governor’s attitude is not one who understands the value of the people who gave him the mandate to represent and serve them in office. While the leaders of our neighbouring States, Benue and Taraba stand with their people and encourage them to legally defend themselves, we on the Plateau feel abandoned by ours”..

Read the Full Press Statement Below.

“TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT BY THE PLATEAU STATE ASSOCIATION UK ON THE PRESENT STATE OF INSECURITY IN PLATEAU STATE
On behalf of PSA UK

We deeply sympathise with our people in Plateau State over the senseless and barbaric killings that have been taking place in different communities of the state.

We, Plateau people in Diaspora, Plateau State Association United Kingdom (PSA UK), are deeply displeased, bitter and saddened by the incessant and brutal killings of our people back home in Plateau State Nigeria by the Fulani militia. People killed in cold blood, burnt, macheted and gunned down in their farms and homes while they sleep and go about their daily activities- a callous and senseless treatment of human life. We unequivocally condemn these abhorrent, terrorist acts.

The statement also urge Governor Lalong to note that Plateau citizens are displaced and homeless for no crime and this issue should not be politicised, it says “Our people are being displaced while ancestral lands are being forcefully colonized by the Fulani. Recently, over 38 people (including women and children) on their ancestral land were gruesomely murdered at Yelwan Zangam, Ahwol Ward, Naraguta community of Jos North Local Government Area, despite an existing curfew. State and National security operatives tasked with the protection of lives and property are ill equipped to face these militia who have more sophisticated ammunition and military regalia supplied to them by their sponsors. As such, our people are left to their fate. The worsening security issues in the state and country at large is disheartening and at this juncture we want to join our people in calling for accountability, justice and peace. This inhuman and abhorrent situation must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Lies are being peddled by the press with false narratives of incidents, further stoking the embers of hate among communities.” Innocent people get arrested while the real culprits roam about, getting people killed daily in their homes. While the narrative is that the situation is under control and peace has returned, silent killings by the Fulani’s are being carried out on a daily basis in the Plateau especially during the curfew imposition. Minions surrounding those in political positions do not speak truth for personal gain while those who speak truth get arrested and their families threatened. Freedom of speech is limited so much that unbiased media houses unveiling the true security position of the country get threatened by the National Broadcasting Corporation. The world must know the truth. We condemn the killings, destruction of properties, total breakdown of law and order and the attempt to turn Plateau State, the home of Peace and tourism into a barbaric State. These terror attacks are causing havoc in education, social life, commercial activities and investments of the state which will certainly affect the nation at large. Some schools have been shut over fears of kidnapping. People are afraid to go to their farms, their crops destroyed by the Fulani cattle. As a result, there is poverty and hunger everywhere in the state while security is next to nothing.

Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has failed the people. The Governor’s attitude is not one who understands the value of the people who gave him the mandate to represent and serve them in office. While the leaders of our neighbouring States, Benue and Taraba stand with their people and encourage them to legally defend themselves, we on the Plateau feel abandoned by ours.

Our cries and protests for over a decade now have fallen on deaf ears while our people are being terrorised and killed and our villages and ancestral lands are being taken over by these blood thirsty Fulani terrorists.

On the 25th of August 2021, over 38 dead bodies recovered from Yelwan Zangam Fulani attack were left at the Government House gate by irate youths in tears and anguish as the Governor had persistently portrayed that the deaths of Plateau indigenes is not as much of a concern as that of the recent Fulani killing which he condemned in strong terms. In the absence of security people are forced to defend themselves as was the case in the recent clash in the Rukuba road. People were arrested and the governor then instructed “no bail” for them and further instructed the arrest of those coming to bail. The incident was wrongly tagged ‘Irigwe youth killings.’ While when Plateau people get killed it is tagged unknown gunmen without arrest. If IPOB is tagged a terrorist group, why is myatti Allah not? For over a decade, our cries and protests keep falling on deaf ears while our people get terrorised and killed and our villages and ancestral lands taken over by blood thirsty Fulani terrorists.

Although we recognise the effort of some legislators; for example, the state house of assembly press conference on the 27th of August 2021. With the reopening of the State House of assembly on the 31st August, 2021, we remind our representatives at all National and State levels to remember that they are there to serve and be accountable to us, therefore, what urgent practical steps are they taking to control and mitigate these challenges?
We do not condone any form of killing; however, we are not blind to the double standards being exhibited. We are yet to see and hear the governor or president coming out to condemn these senseless killings by the Fulani militia with strong security warnings and relevant actions put in place to counter these incessant killings as they did with swiftness when the Rukuba road incident occurred. Communities who have been under attack are yet to feel the presence of the government.

We would like to iterate that all lives are important, and we condemn any attack on any human life. However, for a community to thrive there must be fairness, equality, accountability, and justice.

Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State needs to address the situation as a matter of urgency to regain the trust of the people. People who have been displaced and attacked need assurance and practical support from the government. It is their duty to protect us
We stand in solidarity with our people and call on the Plateau State Government and the Nigerian Government to address this gross situation as a matter of urgency to uphold what is a basic human right of our people.

WE HOPE SIMON BAKO LALONG IS NOT SELLING OUR COMMON HERITAGE WHICH WE TRUSTED HIM WITH, FOR A MORSEL OF BREAD
The President PSA UK.

count | 306

Plateau Citizens are displaced and Homeless, don’t sell our heritage, PSA UK tells Lalong