Plateau Massive Killings
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the unending killings in several parts of Plateau State have generated into sharp disagreements and twists among governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang , the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Senator Napoleon Binkap Bali and Honourable Dachung Musa Bagos.
The disagreement, according to OpenLife Magazine’s findings, centres round distrust, mode and approach to operations, methodology and political intrigues.
Speaking on the development Tuesday morning on Arise TV, Senator Napoleon Binkap Bali , representing Plateau South Senatorial District in the 10th Senate disagreed with his fellow legislator, Honourable Dachung Musa Bagos, representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House Representatives, on the grounds of approach to finding lasting solution to the unending killings.
Honourable Bagos, while reacting to the renewed killings in Mangu and Jos South Local Government Areas of the state, asked his constituents to protect themselves in line with the Nigerian constitution which guarantees right to self-defence.
He lamented that most of his constituents now live in fear, adding that the attacks happen on daily basis.
“Sadly, innocent citizens are being attacked and killed on the daily basis in Plateau State, particularly in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Mangu; hundreds have lost their lives since May 2023, villagers can’t go to the farm. Several displaced persons camps, land taken over, farmlands destroyed, what a wicked world!
“Just on Saturday, 12 persons were killed in Mangu and also yesterday night, seven of my constituents who are miners were targeted and gunned down; this barbaric act is condemned.
“In the face of this kind of breakdown in the will and capacity of the government to protect the people and their communities, law-abiding citizens must organise to protect themselves.
“The point here is when the government failed in its constitutional role to protect its people, citizens have a legitimate duty in law and morality to ensure the continuity of human life.
“Self-defence is indeed a constitutional right. Under section 14(2)(b) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
“Accordingly, Section 17(2)(b) of the same constitution requires that “the sanctity of the human person shall be recognised” and to reinforce this, section 33(2)(a) makes self-defence lawful when undertaken in “defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property.
“I want to call on all Plateau citizens to be alert and defend themselves against attackers, and all Plateau State citizens must unite to defend the land. We are peaceful people, but our inheritance which is our land will never be taken by force,” Honourable Bagos said.
But Senator Bali, 59 and a retired Air Vice Marshall disagreed with Honourable Bagos saying that he does not support anti law mode of operations.
“I do not support people taking laws into their own hands, ” Bali said.
The security expert, who trained in some of the overseas security institutions, emphasized that the killings in several parts of Plateau State is “politically motivated.”
He stressed that the renewed killings, especially in Mangu local government area of the State where governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang hails from, is an extension of the plot to continuously embarrass the newly sworn in governor.
Senator Bali disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, 58, has been unhelpful in the precarious situation.
He noted that only recently, governor Mutfwang was in Abuja and spent several days to see the Inspector General but could only see him for “Just few minutes before he went back to Plateau State. ”
Happening at a time Egbetokun, who recently took oath of office as the 22nd Inspector General of Police, boasted, on assumption of office, that he is a lion ready to devour criminals, Senator Bali sensed that relying on the Inspector General might not offer any succuor to the challenges in Plateau State.
He therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to take immediate action on the killing crises rocking the once peaceful Plateau State.
“The non state actors have the time and space. They can operate and melt into the society without anyone knowing who they are. So, the President has to be involved in Mangu violence. He should direct the NSA to take immediate action, ” Senator Bali disclosed and suggested.
It would be recalled that only in May, it was reported that over 100 persons were killed by terrorists in Plateau State within 48 hours.
The attackers were said to have burnt houses, farms and stored agricultural inputs, among other destructions.
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