The Plateau Initiative for the Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN) Plateau Central Zone has issued a strong statement on recent attacks on communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. In the latest statement, PIDAN calls for the creation of civilian joint task force to curb the menace of insecurity in the zone. The full text:
THE SYSTEMATIC ANNIHILATION OF PLATEAU CITIZENS; TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE — PIDAN CENTRAL ZONE
07—04—2025.
We the leaders of thought at Plateau Initiative for the Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN) Plateau Central Zone with a very heavy heart continue to note with grave concern the systematic annihilation, genocide and ethnic cleansing of our people in cold blood. Not long ago, we mourn the dastard attacks on innocent citizens of Ruwi Community in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. And as if that was not enough, while we were yet to recover from that dastard act, tragedy struck again in Hurti, Tadai, Manguna and Daffo communities of the same Bokkos Local Government Area. The way and manner that these attacks spread from one community to the other like a pandemic and wildfire is a clear testament that it is well planned and systematically orchestrated. Beyond any reasonable doubt, we are convinced that our people, our communities and our ancestral lands have been clearly mapped out and serially targeted for total cleansing and forceful takeover. This is totally unacceptable, condemnable and highly resistable. Cursed is the man whose stock in trade is the marauding of our ancestral heritage.
Without any form of resistance or restraint, we continue to go through the agony of the loss of our loved ones moving from one attack to the other. For a number of years now, we have continued to cry out that the attackers have an agenda that is well marshalled out and systematically executed in series. More worrisome is the state of helplessness we have been thrown into with no end in sight. As we continue to cry out, we are fast approaching a state of despair at a very high speed, our hopes for the preservation of our ancestral lands and heritage grows slimmer by each passing day, our country looking more like a failed state than a nation on the path of recovery. Except some drastic measures are put in place and our hopes restored in the system, we are almost giving up. However, it is our resolve that we shall never give up our ancestral heritage to cowards because we have no other place to go. It is our resolve that we shall continue to cry out until the government at all levels heed to our cries. We will never stop to defend what our ancestors bequeathed to us unless and except if the cowards eliminate the last one of us.
With this resolve we shall never be tired of calling the government to live up to its responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of its citizens. This is the fundamental mandate of the government as enshrined in the constitution of the land. On this premise therefore, we call on the government at all levels once again, to immediately commence moves to put an end to our agony beyond mere rhetoric of press statements and political grandstanding. Press statements of bringing perpetrators to book has over the years proven to be empty threats that have only been a laughing stock for the attackers while they continue to have a field day.
We call on politicians with a very loud and strong voice to stop the political gimmicks with the lives of our people and call themselves to order forthwith. There are a lot of issues to play politics with; our politicians should focus on those issues and leave our people alone. All should unite across party affiliations to nib this dreaded monster in the bud once and for all without recourse to making political capital out of it. Enough of the nonsense where the lives of our citizens are used for political exigency. Enough is enough.
As a way forward, we recommend that with immediate effect, the federal government and the government of Plateau state should approve the constitution of civilian joint task forces for our state to work along with the security agencies because we have noted that such a strategy has proven to be very effective in states like Borno. We also recommend that the government of Plateau state equip the state security outfit “Operation Rainbow” with necessary gadgets and men to be able to crush these evil men headlong. We also recommend that the empty rhetoric about bringing the perpetrators to book should be over. The government should immediately consider the suggestions made by the Director General of State Security Service, to equip communities to protect their villages. These we consider as the only ways we can put these ugly moments behind us and forget our dark days once and for all.
Signed:
Dr. Katkukah Danjuma Gokum Secretary, PIDAN Plateau Central Zone
Da Alpha John Dakwak Chairman, PIDAN Plateau Central Zone
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