A fact-finding team put in place by the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa, has met with key stakeholders in Plateau State to seek viable solutions that would end the perennial violence plaguing communities in the state.
The leader of the team, Major General Augustine Agundu (Rtd), who led other members to meet with the people at the 3 Division Auditorium Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba, Bassa local government area of the state, explained that the team was formed to gather on-the-ground insights and formulate effective strategies to resolve the prolonged conflict in the state.
He noted that the meeting aimed to seek input and advice from the federal and state governments, as well as the military, on how to halt the crisis conclusively and emphasised the “necessity of unity, the denunciation of criminal activities, and the paramount importance of honesty in achieving the desired peace.”
Stakeholders in attendance included representatives from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), some native tribes, the Fulani community, and others who unanimously asked that the judicial system be strengthened to expedite justice delivery through the establishment of a special court, believing that timely dispensation of justice would serve as a deterrent to potential criminals.
They stressed the essential integration of followers from both the Islamic and Christian religions to facilitate effective peace-building processes by the state.
The stakeholders expressed deep concern over the increasing incidents of isolated killings and the influx of sophisticated weapons into the state. They called on the state government to mediate between warring factions using a comprehensive approach that encompasses the perspectives of all involved parties and also takes immediate action to prevent the influx of weapons through identified channels.
In separate remarks, the Plateau State CAN Chairman, Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo, and the State Chairman of JNI, Alhaji Muhammadu Haruna, vehemently condemned religious profiling and the stereotyping of any ethnic group as criminals and emphasised the necessity for individual determination in ending the crisis. They recommended enhancing traditional institutions to address security concerns within their local domains and emphasised the need to apprehend individuals who perpetuate the ongoing conflict.
However, the fact-finding team visited the Mangu, Bokkos, and Barkin Ladi local government areas, as well as the headquarters of security agencies operating in the state, where they also engaged with critical stakeholders in the security sector.
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