By Dr. Daniel Meshak

It is no longer news that hell was let loose in Plateau State on Saturday, 23rd June 2018, in some villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government. The forces of darkness in the form of herdsmen terrorists descended with a cloud of despair, murdering defenceless children, women and men leaving behind an unimaginable carnage in their trail. Over 200 Plateau people lost their lives in which most were hurriedly laid to rest in mass graves. This was after the failure of the Special Task Force (STF) to respond and intervene in time to save those helpless villagers when they were under siege. The terrorists operated with a measured arrogance, at their pace, for more than 48 hours without any effective intervention from the STF. This kind of attack and response has become a recurrent theme in Plateau State transcending several local government areas (LGAs) such as Riyom, Bassa, Bokkos and Mangu.

Naturally, these acts of evil evoke emotions and outrage from all rational human beings. The interpretation as to the remote and immediate causes of these acts of terrorism became a very divisive matter among Plateau citizens in particular and Nigerians in General.

The sophistication, organization and systematic execution of these attacks lend credence to the fact that there is a grand conspiracy against Plateau state. A clear pattern of attacking communities, leading to villagers running and leaving their villages, and then land-grab by the assailants seem to confirm this assertion. This is one conclusion that most Plateau people agree with.

However, of great concern is the way the embers of disunity are stoked among Plateau sons and daughters that characterize the aftermath of these killings. It has become a recurring pattern. The stench of our disunity kept increasing with each act of wanton killings of Plateau people. We gleefully pledge allegiance to our groups, political parties, tribes, religion, class, etc at the expense of our common good or collective interest. We bicker against each other with pride as if that is how success in life is measured. We tear each other with our words, pulled down or slander those who differ from us with our lies, without a modicum of compunction.

This is what the scene on the Plateau looks like. On one hand, some people in Plateau see the state government as being complicit, insincere, and working against the interest of the people. On the other hand, the pro-government group believe that some bigwigs are behind the killings, using some people as agents of division to disrupt the peace in the state in order to tarnish its image or becloud its sterling achievements. To some people, everything about the killing is politics. Some have used the killings to score political points while some have used the “politicization of the killings” to discredit and blackmail genuine efforts by some others to help with solutions.

Even more dangerous are those who are playing the ethnoreligious card. These people are found in both pro-government and anti-government forces. They are relentless trying to outwit each other in the blame game. The aim of this write up is not to support any of the groups. Whatever side you belong to or are sympathetic to, it doesn’t change certain facts on the ground. It doesn’t change the fact that villages in Plateau state are consistently being attacked and our brothers and sisters are maimed and chase out of their ancestral homes and render homeless. Another fact is this; the Nigerian security forces have failed to protect our villages from this guerilla kind of attacks despite over a decade presence in Plateau state and the huge resources invested in peace enforcement. It is also on record that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) Camps is increasing with an underwhelming response from the relevant authorities to meet up with the physical, mental and social needs of the IDPs. Irrespective of their differences or allegiances, most Plateau people will agree that it is our children, brothers and sisters that are suffering as these terrorists keep attacking our communities while we continue to trade blames and engage in the egotistical battle.

To what end do we continue like this? Who is truly our enemy as Plateau people? Is it government versus the people? Is it APC versus PDP? Is it Berom versus the rest of Plateau and vice versa? At a time that we need to be united, we have rejected the wisdom to come together despite our differences. We act like we don’t know that, “United we stand, divided we fall”. We need a lot of circumspection to situate our real problems in this context.

Plateau state faces an existential threat. It is in the best interest of the state that individuals or groups cooperate with each other to face this problem, but what is rife is division and attrition between individuals and groups within Plateau State. This phenomenon has left the state in a precariously weaken state and at the mercy of the terrorists and forces that conspire to annihilate us. The real issues are side-stepped as we give in to internal anarchy.

Our situation in Plateau can be analyzed using the framework of a game theory called the prisoner’s dilemma. The prisoners’ dilemma refers to a situation where two persons or entities refused to cooperate with each other even when it is the rational thing or in their best interest to do so. Consequently, this will lead to a worse outcome. A hypothetical example has it that two prisoners accused of a crime were interrogated separately. If one confesses to the crime, the other prisoner will receive severe punishment and vice versa. If both of them confess to the crime, then both will still receive heavy punishment. However, if both refuse to confess and cooperate with each other then they will receive a milder punishment. By choosing to pursue their self-interests, the prisoners become worse off than if they had cooperated with each other (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/prisoners-dilemma.asp). Applying this to Plateau state, we will see that both pro-government group and the anti-government groups continue to plot, fight, and use propaganda against each other thereby keep fracturing our collective unity as the state teeters towards perdition. However, if these opposing forces will align behind our common interest as a state and corporate with each other, then the state will be better off for it. Then we will become stronger with fortified faith to face our enemies.

This is the time to forget our differences and unite. Government is not the enemy neither is any tribe. This is the time to put our collective interests as Plateau people above any narrow self-serving interest or concern. We must forgive each other. Yes, these are not the best of times. We will overcome if we work together to put to shame those who long to see our downfall.

Where our enemies expect division, let them find unity.

Where they expect to find hate, let them find true love for each other.

Where they expect to see fear, let them find an enduring courage.

Where they expect silence, let them find a united voice.

Unity among Plateau people is the only way out! We can’t afford to fail now. The cost of failure is too great for this generation and even for those yet to come. The government and the people must be on the same page for Plateau state to become the land of our dream. If Plateau state fails, then its failure will be our collective shame.

“When we embrace forgiveness, we instantaneously dissolve stagnant energies from our life, pain and anger that has no benefit or purpose, and in doing so, we open that space in our heart for greater peace, love and healing.”

– David Cunliffe

Dr Daniel Meshak

[email protected]

 @mesh007

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Plateau state and the “prisoner’s dilemma” – a call for unity by Dr Daniel Meshak