Plateau attacks: It’s time for decisive action – Group

The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation (PMPF) has called for decisive actions against the perpetrators of the Christmas eve attacks in Plateau State.

Rev Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, President/CEO of the foundation, made the call in a statement, where he described the 24 December 2023 attack as a genocide.

He expressed condolences to the entire people of Bokkos Local Government Area, Governor of Plateau, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, and people of Plateau State and Nigerians.

“A terrible genocide is taking place in Plateau State but it is being window dressed to look like a clash between Farmers and Herders. What we have is a deadly situation in which Armed men are described sometimes as Bandits but in a real sense, terrorists who attack other ethnic nationalities in some parts of the State and in most Middle Belt communities.

“Sadly, false and misleading narratives are created while rivers of blood continue to flow. This is a disservice to the Nigerian nation and humanity. What happened in Bokkos is neither a clash nor retaliatory attacks. It is deliberate, targeted, intentional and systematic elimination of whole populations as the pattern has been in some of the Middle Belt communities.

“Sadly, such killings are disguised and those who firmly should have long taken actions to end this are doing nothing or steps so far taken are not yielding the desired results,” Para-Mallam said.

He called for the arrest of the perpetrators, saying similar mass and unjustified killings must be brought to an end.

He added that only the Federal Government has the constitutional right and authority to do this

He said, “What happened in Bokkos appears clearly motivated by genocidal intent, land grabbing and occupation by conquest. Should the Plateau State government continue to lament and watch on helplessness?

“Should the Federal Government of Nigeria reduce itself to an entity which only issues condolence Press Statements with no tangible results while the carnage continues and the aggressors are never found or prosecuted until another round of similar horrible genocidal attacks take place?”