President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the commitment of the federal government to bring an end to the killings in Plateau State.
He stated this Tuesday in Jos at the Government House during a security meeting with warring factions in the Barkin Ladi violence that claimed over 86 lives over the weekend. Buhari arrived at about 4.14 p.m., and proceeded into the meeting immediately.
The meeting later went into a closed-door session, with only the affected community leaders and top government officials allowed in. The Deputy governor of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, was also present at the meeting.
A credible source at the meeting said one of the Berom speaking representatives at the meeting lamented that the attackers could be foreigners ”harbored by indigenous herdsmen who had lived peacefully with the natives over the years.”
He said Berom representatives at the meeting lamented inadequate security within the communities.
Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, said Buhari charged traditional and community leaders to call their subjects to order and live in peace with one another.
In a statement later released by Shehu, President Buhari said that he “will continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the Constitution as the Commander-in Chief. About eight days ago, we had five hours security meeting of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.
“What happened here in Jos is very bad. The question of leadership, from your household to whatever you are, is justice. The bottom line is justice.
“That is why wherever I go, I will always appeal to the leadership of the communities, the law enforcement agencies to always have control of their constituencies,’’ he said.
The President also used the occasion of the interactive session attended by traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, representatives of youth, women and trade union groups, security chiefs and some top government officials to appeal to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory utterances that endanger peace or promote conflicts.
“Whatever is being given to the media, we have to be very responsible about it. Take for instance the situation in Benue. The Benue subsistence farmer knows that the Nigerian cattle herder that he knows doesn’t carry nothing more than a stick, occasionally sometimes something to cut grass to feed his cattle.
“But the present herder, I am told, carries AK47 and people are even blaming me for not talking to them because maybe (they say) I look like one of them. There is some injustice in these aspersions,’’ the President Buhari said.
According to him, “It is noteworthy that many Nigerians still acknowledge that despite the security challenges, this administration has made notable successes in the security sector.”
Earlier, Governor Simon Lalong told President Buhari that the state was devastated and requested for special funds to help rebuild the affected communities. Over 50 houses were razed in about 11 communities during the bloody spree of violence allegedly perpetrated by armed herdsmen.
“Mr. President, given the number of villages that have been completely ravaged, I wish to re-echo the earlier request we made as a state, for an emergency special intervention fund to help us reconstruct our ravaged communities,” Lalong requested.
In spite of the earlier visit by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday, and that of Buhari, it was gathered that some persons were reportedly killed in the early hours of Tuesday at Dogo-Nahawa, a village in Barkin Ladi local government. This could not be independently verified.