Plateau Youths G17 calls on Communities to defend themselves through community policing, urges government to bring perpetrators of recent attacks to book

The Plateau Youths G17 Group has called on communities in Plateau State to rise up and defend themselves through community policing. They also called on government to apprehend perpetrators of recent attacks and bring same to book. They also used the opportunity to call on Nigerian security operatives to be responsible and secure all citizens and respond speedily when they are informed of attacks.

This position was put forward by the group during a Press Conference organized by the group in Jos on Saturday 20th May 2023. This is coming in the wake of recent attacks in communities of Kuwat and Fungzai all in Kombun District of Mangu LGA on the 16th of May 2023, where over 85 persons were report to have been killed and hundreds displaced.

The group also stressed that “Whole communities have lost their means
of livelihood with little or no hope of returning to their farms. Plateau citizens
have been rendered homeless and destitute in their own land and denied their right to coexist as families and communities as many have been displaced and traumatized from the horrendous barbaric murders of their loved ones”.

They also revealed that “Recent reports have it that five miners were gruesomely murdered on the 12th of April 2023 at Mangor. Two people were ambushed and killed on the 17th of April 2023 NTV village, Barkin Ladi. One person was also ambushed and killed on the 22nd of April 2023 in Rawuru, four people were killed on the 23rd of April 2023, 2 people were killed at Heipang-Kwi road (Chit) on the 27th of April 2023”.

“In Wereng, Riyom LGA. It was the destruction of farmlands that took place on the 22nd of April 2023, in Jos South LGA, specifically in Turu, six people were killed and one person injured on the 25th of April 2023. Also in Marish, Bokkos LGA, three people were attacked and killed on the 15th and 16th April 2023, Mai-Tumbi and Jwak villages were attacked and four people killed. Ganawuri experienced the murder of three persons on 3rd March 2023”, they added.

They however noted that the above list is in no way exhaustive as there are recurring unreported killings of people in various parts of the State.

The group made the following recommendations:

1. The government must fish out these killers and bring them to book.
2. The government must speedily resettle our brothers and sisters who have been displaced from their homes and are presently in IDP camps.
3. We call on the entire communities to rise and defend themselves through community policing.
4. We call on the Nigerian security operatives to be responsible and secure
   all citizens and respond speedily when they are informed of attacks.
5. We call on the 10th National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, speed up the establishment of state police through appropriate legislation to enable communities to be secure.
6. We wish to call on the in-coming administration of Barr. Caleb Mutfwang to, as a matter of urgency set in motion the resuscitation of Operation Rainbow to fully integrate it with existing community volunteer security
   outfits like vigilante groups, hunters’ associations, and others as a means of mobilizing citizens to take part in defending themselves.

They therefore called on Plateau people to be vigilant and be united to secure communities and lives.