ABUJA – Members of Plateau State Caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday expressed their displeasure over the glowing spate of insecurity in the Mangu and Bokkos areas of the state in recent times, as they urged President Muhammadu Buhari to wake up in his responsibility of protection of lives and properties of the citizenry.

Addressing members of the press corps, Hon. Bulus Maren and his Colleagues who were sad over this development, said that the security situation in the area had worsened and is almost turning to a premeditated genocide.

“With heavy heart we address you today, the 28t” January, 2019, to bring to the notice of our dear country men, women and the international community the deteriorating security situation in our country, most recently in Mangu-Bokkos communities in Plateau State where about 26 lives have been lost as the assault that continued for 2 weeks.”

“The most worrisome part is that, there is no sign that Government is willing to perform its constitutional duty of protecting the lives and properties of the people or arrest and prosecute perpetrators of this hideous, barbaric, senseless and inhuman act, that appears to have no end in view”.

Hon. Maren said that it all started on the 1st October, 2019, where two citizens of Mangu/Bokkos, Lawrence Duna and Gafdfrey Shikakham, carpenters working with humanitarian NGO in Borno, building homes for displaced persons were abducted and executed in a video because they were Christians and from Plateau State.

He also said that the attack was carried out on 8th January, 2020 at Kuthen Village of Kombun District, Plateau State which claimed 12 armless, innocent and defenseless constituents in cold blood; and lamented that till today, nothing has come out about those arrested in connection to this killings, as the areas remains
unprotected.

He further noted and lamented that Mr Daciya Ropvil, a 200 level student of the University of Maiduguri was abducted on Damaturu-Maiduguri road on his way to school in a similar video with that of the first one, still claiming he was executed because he was a Christian from Plateau State.

Moreover, he pointed out that on Sunday January 26, 2020 at 8pm, another attack in Kwatas, Mansh, Sabon Barki, Murish, Lokudung, Pil and Mbiri-Ishala claimed 16 Lives, 3 churches burnt, 8 shops looted and about 200 Houses burnt with food stuffs and seedlings worth hundreds of millions were destroyed without any form of provocation in broad daylight as there was no form of security intervention.

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According to the lawmaker, those who escaped from those villages, are presently taking refuge in COCIN Central church and Christ Apostolic church, all in Bokos numbering over 5000 women and children, without food, water and adequate sanitation to cater for such population.

He noted that many others took place in other parts of the country unabated and pointed out that essence of coming together as a Federation was to have leadership at various levels to protect everyone hence, the constitutional provision in section 4 CFRN is for the security and welfare of the people.

He argued that one can easily conclude that genocide has been declared on the people affected and indeed Plateau State had suffered many attacks

They called on the President to show sincerity and commitment, match words with actions to secure all Nigerians wherever they are and added that as Commander in Chief, he should provide security agencies with modern equipment,
resources and the political will to make them succeed.

They also called on the international community to save our people from been extinct going by the numbers killed every day, which in alarming, is a cause for concern.

“Our people need your show of love at this point, to provide them with food, water and sanitation as a matter of urgency. The IDPs are joining other IDPs who have been taking refuge in the same location for over a year now.

“We call on the International Human Right Organisation to evoke the chatter on right to life”.