National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visits Plateau State, assuring residents of the Federal Government's commitment to ending ongoing killings. The violence, attributed to suspected herdsmen, has killed over fifty people and displaced hundreds. Local leaders demand increased security as efforts to restore peace intensify.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu visited Plateau State, assuring residents and officials that the Federal Government would take decisive action to halt the ongoing killings.
The visit comes on the heels of violent attacks that left over fifty people dead and more than three hundred homes destroyed across five communities in the Bokkos Local Government Area. The attacks, attributed to suspected herdsmen, have wreaked havoc on rural communities, prompting widespread fear and displacement. Over 700 individuals have been displaced, with many seeking refuge in surrounding towns as their homes lay in ruins.
Ribadu, speaking at the headquarters of Operation Safe Haven in Jos, emphasized the Federal Government's resolve to find a lasting solution to the escalating violence. "Enough is enough," Ribadu stated, signaling a shift in the administration's stance on the state's security challenges. He assured that additional measures would be implemented to restore peace and stability to the affected areas.
Ribadu's visit follows similar actions by the Plateau State Government. Samuel Jatau, the Secretary to the State Government, visited the devastated communities to assess the damage and distribute relief materials to the displaced victims. Despite these efforts, local leaders, including the District Head of Manguna, have called for an increase in security personnel to prevent further escalation and the migration of citizens to urban areas in search of safety.
Yohanna Michael, the President of the Hurti community, described the heartbreaking scene where over thirty victims were given mass burials. He stressed that the search for those still missing continues. The community, which has borne the brunt of the violence, faces an uncertain future as many of its members remain displaced, with agriculture—their primary livelihood—disrupted.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a prominent socio-political group, also weighed in on the matter, expressing its deep concern over the recurrent attacks in the state. In a statement issued on Sunday, the ACF called for immediate intervention by the Federal Government to stop the violence and restore peace in Plateau. "The people are in great pain, with their situation compounded by existential economic challenges. The killing spree on the Plateau must be stopped immediately," said Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the forum's National Publicity Secretary.
