Assaults on Plateau Areas: ACF Requests FG To Cease Attacks, Proclaims State of Emergency
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed its grief over the recent terrifying attacks by terrorist organisations on defenceless villages in Plateau State, which resulted in the terrible deaths of several persons, including children.
The forum urges the federal government to take constitutional responsibility for the security of citizens’ lives and property. It stated that the administration will ensure that such recurrent attacks and killings on the Plateau and other communities in the Northern region and other regions of the country cease immediately.
In a statement signed by the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the organisation urged the Federal Government to declare a state of security emergency in vulnerable and bandit-prone communities, as well as to implement effective early-warning and early-response strategies that include community participation.
“ACF reiterates its long-held position that every new similar experience is one too many. Clearly, the people are in terrible suffering, and their plight is exacerbated by severe economic issues. “The killing spree on the Plateau must be halted immediately, and peace must return to the State,” it stated.
It also asked the relevant security agencies to work harder to gather, process, and apply actionable intelligence to determine the immediate and long-term causes of recent conflicts, as well as to investigate, identify, arrest, and convict those responsible for the assaults.
Furthermore, ACF sought complete compensation for the victims of the attack, as well as assistance for those harmed by the perpetrators.
“The ACF expresses its heartfelt condolences for the victims and strongly condemns the actions. “The Forum expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to the affected communities, the government, and the people of Plateau State,” according to the statement.
“The Forum identifies with the deep pains of the families of the victims and prays to God to grant the deceased eternal rest, for surviving victims to be fortified with the strength to bear the losses, and for a quick return to full health for all who suffered injuries.”
It further requested that the federal and Plateau state governments empower community leaders, elders, clergy, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to engage in community conversation to resolve conflicts, reconcile, and cooperate.
“Citizens should avail the security agencies of credible information on the activities of insurgents and criminals, and members of the National Assembly should do more to hold the FGN and the national security agencies to account and to demand concrete evidence of a firm resolve to exterminate the current terror on citizens,” the press release said.