North Central Governors Donate N100m To Plateau Victims

Governors of the North Central states have donated N100 million to Plateau State to assist the victims of the Christmas Eve attack.

The attacks on 23 communities in the state by suspected terrorists claimed nearly 200 lives.

The governors donated the money yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital when they paid a condolence visit to Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

The donation was announced by Nasatawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, who is the chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum.

Governor Sule, who conveyed condolences of the forum to Mutfwang, stressed the need to identify the root cause of the issue for a lasting solution and expressed confidence in Governor Mutfwang’s ability to address it with wisdom and courage.

Sule described the incident as pure terrorism, urging the deployment of technology to identify perpetrators and curb their operations in the North Central. He insisted that those attacking innocent people and killing  them indiscriminately are terrorists and must be treated as such. In his response, Governor Mutfwang called for united efforts to combat armed banditry, terrorism, and criminal activities prevalent in the region.

Condemning the recent acts of terrorism in Plateau, he appealed to the federal government for assistance in dualising the Wamba-Panyam and Akwanga-Jos roads, crucial gateways for security operations in the North East.

Governors Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State condemned the heinous act, calling for unity to safeguard the common destiny of the North Central people. They encouraged investment in agriculture to harness the region’s abundant natural resources.

The delegation from the three states, comprising top government officials, religious leaders, and traditional rulers among others.

Meanwhile, former Senate David Mark has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to consider a review of the security architecture with a view to making it more proactive and strategic towards addressing the unabating challenges.

Senator Mark said a review will identify the loopholes and devise a means to end the blood shedding.

He said the Plateau incidents in which scores of citizens were needlessly massacred should be a wakeup call that the security forces challenge need urgent attention.

According to Mark, “It will not be out of place to declare an emergency on security. Any step taken to end the continued killing of citizens will be worth the trouble.”

In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Mumeh, Mark urged the government and security agencies to do more, saying that life has become so cheap in Nigeria today as if people have lost humanity in them.