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A COMUNIQUE PRESENTED BY THE COALITION OF PLATEAU STATE INDEGNOUS YOUTHS/ETHNIC NATIONALITIES ON SECURITY

6/1/2024

COMUNIQUE PRESENTED BY THE COALITION OF PLATEAU STATE INDEGNOUS YOUTHS/ETHNIC NATIONALITIES PRESENTED ON THE 3RD JANUARY 2024 AT THE MWAGHAVUL YOUTHS MOVEMENT SECRETARIAT, MANGU LGA PLATAEU STATE.

Arising from an EMERGENCY MEETING held in Mangu LGA in respect of the recent killings and increase in insecurity in the State, the Coalition of Plateau State Indigenous Youths/Ethnic Nationalities, the following issues and resolutions were respectively made:

Security operatives: The coalition observe with deep concern the actions of military personnel on the Plateau, based on their actions and responses during distress situation. The Youths has lost trust and confidence on the personnel especially personnel of sector 5 in Bokkos LGA. The sector commander Lt Col T.T Pave, was accused by eye witness among the affected communities of given cover and aiding the killing by the Fulani militias on the claim that the military operation is to protect the minority as claimed by him. Eye witness from communities affected also accused men under Lt Col T.T Pave command do arrest and kill locals as seen in the case of late Mr. Samuel Longleng who was confronted and fired at will by men under his command at Garah – kawel, of Mushere district of Bokkos LGA among other cases, while arrested Fulani are release within the shortest possible time. We are calling for his public probing and possible discipline to serve as deterrent and restore confidence on the Military Operation within the State. The attention of the coalition has been drawn to the harsh molestation of our people in Bokkos by personnel deployed for peace restoration in the area, after the massacre, such personnel should be call to order.

Destruction of Farms and houses of victims/displaced persons: The coalition also observed that there is deliberate attempt by the Fulani militias to prevent victims from returning to their ancestral land/homes by looting their properties and food items. The coalition is calling on the Government to take necessary action aim at stopping the looting of properties of victims/displaced persons.So far statistics shows that more than two hundred (200) locals were killed in Bokkos alone, with over three hundred injured( 300), over one thousand two hundred and ninety houses burnt (1,290), eighty one cars(81) burnt, nineteen thousand nine hundred and ninety five (19,995) person displace, now taking refuge at the mini stadium in Bokkos, apart from those who had fled to relatives in other part of the State and Country.While displace person from various villages are taking refuge in Bokkos town, information at the coalition disposal indicate that some armed Fulani are been hosted at Maling (Angwan Hausawa). We are calling on security agents to search and disarm them, to avoid future attacks and killing of innocent citizens.

North Central Development Commission: In view of the wanton destruction of lives and properties in Plateau state and across the North Central region of the Country. We are calling on the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the commission to carter for the millions of people displace and leaving as Internal Displace persons in their ancestral land, as done in the North east region of the Country. Establishing the commission will make the people to have confidence in this administration and also fast track speedy development and restoration of normalcy.

Role of security agencies in the State. We observed with dismay that, despite the presence of difference security apparatus, such as DSS, Operation Rainbow, Operation Safe Heaven, Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Civil Defense Corp in the State, human life and property which should have been protected, but we only witness massacre of innocent people, especially children, women and the aged. We had earlier assumed there is intelligence gathering and sharing among the agencies which ought to have been promptly used to avert the ongoing act of terrorism and banditry in the State, but expectation has never seen the light of the day. It is in the light of the continuous killings, and failure in the protection of lives and properties in the State that informed the Coalition to conclude that its either there is no synergy among the various security outfit or, their efforts are been sabotage by their subordinates.

Community protection and defense: The Coalition called on all Plateau Communities/Nationalities to respectively develop self-defense mechanism in order to survive the ongoing hostility and genocidal mission declared by the Bandits and other terrorist elements ravaging the State, for it has become imperative to device all protective means, either physical, spiritual or both in the defense of our heritage. It also called for synergy in Community border-patrol within the State between ethnic groups.
The Coalition also resolved that any attack on either of the Ethnic Group/Nationalities in the State shall be responded appropriately irrespective of where it happens.

Mandate to Government: The Coalition also observed the non-commitment on security issues by the various Local Government Chairmen in the State, hence it is calling on State Government to mandate ALL Local Government Councils to immediately constitute and fund Local Security Outfits/Vigilantee Groups as Early Warning and Early Response Mechanism to curtail the spade of killing across the State pending the requisite response from the Federal Security agents.
The Coalition also salutes the gallantry role of Col. U.S. Abdulsalam, Sector 4 Commander for the rapid response in averting the escalation of the invasion that hit part of Barkin Ladi LGA.

In conclusion, the Coalition unequivocally commended the effort of Maj. Gen. A.E Abdulsallam, the GOC 3rd Division who doubles as the Commander of Operation Safe Haven-OPSH for his accessibility, prompt response and non-bias on early warnings given. We, however, condemned the saboteur observed from the then Sector Commander of Bokkos LGA, Lt Col T.T Pave, who, by his unprofessional conduct and complicit, encouraged the pogrom meted out on our people in Bokkos.

Lastly, the Coalition is unreservedly calling on ALL Plateau residents not to relent in making available any early warning signal, for early response. It also calls on all concerned natives and other residents to be on red-alert, come out in mass whenever there is a clarion call for the needful otherwise, we would all go into extinction in the hands of immune terrorists.

    Thanks.
    Long live Plateau state
    Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    E-sign:

    Com Paul J. Dekete, State Chairman
    Amb. Duwam Bosco, State Secretary