Stefanos Foundation in collaboration with the civil society groups (COS) has called on the federal government and the international community to bring lasting peace in Plateau State by arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators.
They lamented that while innocent people are being arrested, the perpetrators are walking freely on the streets
The appeal was made in Abuja yesterday at a press briefing organised by the foundation in conjunction with the Plateau Initiatives for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC), Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO) respectively.
They lamented that till date, the security agencies have not arrested the masterminds and perpetrators of the persistent killings in the state, including the incident of December 23, 2023.
The programme coordinator, Stefano Foundation, Mr Mark Lipdo, recalled the sad event of December 23, 2023 which claimed about 234 innocent lives with several houses destroyed in 31 communities in Mangu, Berom, Bokkos, Riyon local government areas.
He lamented the arrest of innocent youths of the communities ravaged by attacks, adding that no arrest was made on the alleged perpetrators, saying the actual terrorists are walking freely in the streets which has strengthened the perpetrators to continue with their criminal activities.
The groups demanded for the strengthening of the security architecture in the frontline communities and called on the federal government to return all internally displaced persons to their ancestral lands with inadequate security to prevent the killings of innocent villagers.
On his part, the president, Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO) Da Gyang Dudu Dalyop said there were plans by terrorists identifying with members of a particular ethnic group to “exterminate us and take over our land.”
“ These are mainly settlers we accommodated over the decades and offered hospitality when they came at various times during their annual voyage of herding and needed shelter. Now they have turned around to hunt us, using foreign mercenaries imported through Nigeria’s porous borders and well-coordinated along with internal collaborators,” Dalyop said.
