Northern Nigeria’s foremost Islamic group, the Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), has condemned the resurgence of violence in Plateau State.
The group called on the state and federal governments to “wake up” and stop further killings and destruction.
Several persons, including two soldiers, were killed last week in renewed violence in Miango and Bassa communities in the state.
The clashes, according to the Nigerian Army, were mostly between herdsmen and locals.
JNI in a statement Monday signed by its Secretary-General, Khalid Aliyu, said it “received with grave concern, the news of premeditated killings of innocent persons and destruction of properties worth millions in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State on Wednesday, 14th March 2018, as well as Rukuba Chiefdom in the same Bassa Local Government Area.”
It said attacks and counter attacks were carried out repeatedly and that they it received reports showing that “over 150 houses have been alighted as animals were not spared, just as numerous persons were annihilated”.
JNI said the narrative it received was both gory and disheartening.
“As a result of which many persons are now displaced in their homelands. Therefore, JNI condemns in strong terms the heinous attacks in their totality”.
The group said it expects the state and federal governments through their respective relevant agencies “to wake up to their respective responsibilities of protecting lives and properties, especially that Plateau State is just coming out of the shocks of crisis in the recent past…”
JNI said the carnage in Plateau must be stopped, as human lives are sacred and must be seen to be treated so.
“The Wednesday 14th March, 2018 attacks and follow-up reprisals may take over towns and villages by miscreants which in itself portends danger to the state, because from all indications it is looking like a pre-planned guerrilla attacks,” the group said.
JNI implored security agencies to be cautious so as “not to be seen to take side with any warring parties, no matter the provocation. Simply, rules of engagement must remain their watchword.”
It also called for concerted introspection, as the phenomenon again and again points to the fact that there is the urgent need for proactive and effective ways of addressing these precarious upheavals.
The group said perpetrators of the attacks must be fished out.
“Likewise, the way media houses do always take sides at the detriment of innocent souls is gruesome and unfair to human life.
“In fact, in this case ,the whole unfortunate attacks were downplayed, thus we call for investigative as well as balanced reportage,” it said.
While condoling with the families of the affected victims, the people as well as the government of Plateau State, JNI called on all concerned to eschew bitterness and live peacefully with one another.
It also called on the government to provide relief materials to all affected victims as they are now in utmost need for such.
“Similarly, the need for an all encompassing surveillance in flash points on the Plateau cannot be over-emphasised, to avoid a recurrence,” JNI said.
