Niger State Governor and Chairman North Central Governors Forum (NCGF), Abubakar Sani Bello has decried the tragic incident that led to loss of many lives and subsequent breach of peace in Plateau State recently.
The Governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Mrs. Mary noel-Berje, described as unfortunate how the value of human lives have eluded the heart of other humans.
“It is worrisome the way and manner some people lost value for human lives such that they take life of their fellow humans at will. It is quite unfortunate”, he said.
Governor Sani Bello said the killing of innocent travellers and attacks on some parts of Plateau State was totally unacceptable and condemnable.
He noted that the criminal actions if not urgently checked, would fan the flame to a full blown religious crisis thereby making futile years of efforts by the government of Lalong to restore peaceful coexistence and religion harmony in Plateau State.
While commending the effort of the security agencies in bringing the situation under control, the NCGF Chairman urged them to work round the clock with the view to apprehending all those involved in the dastardly acts and bring them to justice as deterrent to others.
The Governor who equally applauded his Plateau State colleague Governor Simon Bako Lalong for standing tall in the midst of all these, pray for continued wisdom for him to weather the storm.
He commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State over the killings and breach of peace and prayed for the repose of those who died as well as quick recovery to those injured.
Meanwhile, a Muslim group, styling itself as theJos Renaissance Group has detailed what it describes as the facts and fiction of what transpired on Saturday.
In an unsigned statement trending on social media, the group said it was false that the travellers were pretending to be mourners and were conveying a dead relative in a coffin, but when searched, weapons were found hidden in the coffin leading to the attack.
Other false narratives it pointed out were:
▪︎The travellers attacked were mercenaries hired to participate in the killing of the Irigwe people of Miango and other Plateau tribes.
▪︎ That the attacked travellers deliberately followed Rukuba road so as to disrupt the funeral procession of the Irigwes, who were trekking from Plateau Hospital down to Miango in mourning mood!
▪︎ That the slained travelers were part of the “Fulani herdsmen” constantly attacking the Irigwes and other tribes in Plateau State.
▪︎ That the slained travellers had the backing of the Presidency and other security agencies, hence the swift response from both the government and the Nigeria Police Force.
The group berated the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN) which it said should have outgrown pettiness and mediocre baseless propaganda, but descended “so low as to dish out falsehood of enormous magnitude, which exhibits a lack of sensitivity to the plight of the citizens of the state who had previously and frequently suffered from false propaganda which had always led to loss of lives and properties.”
It alleged that in the instances where Muslims were killed, “no perpetrator had been brought to Justice.”
It adds, “The indigenous people of Plateau State most especially the so called “host communities” are always fond of rustling Fulani’s cattle and killing of defenceless herders, and when the herders decide to take laws into their hands and retaliate, as they always do, those hostile communities will claim to be victims, change the narratives and target innocent Muslim as was the case …Rukuba road.
The state and Federal Governments cannot fold their arms and allow innocent Nigerians to be killed in this manner. Government must be decisive in sending a message of deterrence….
“We however call on all our members and Muslims world wide coming to Jos to avoid Gada Biyu, Rukuba Road and its environs at all cost. Their safety is not guaranteed as the inhabitants are now established barbarians. We still remember how they killed our Muslim brothers on Eid Day, butchered their corpses, roasted and ate it in broad daylight. They did not repent.
“In the same vein, we place a trade embargo with anybody of Irigwe extraction until further notice. By this, our yam sellers at Yan Doya market should stop doing any kind of business with the Irigwes forthwith.”
