The recent killing of 19 residents of Zurak village in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State is one killing too many. It marked yet another setback to the state that has been rocked by ethno-religious violence since September 7, 2001, and serves as another reason for a more strident call for peace.
While the recent casualty figures (initially reported to be 40, until the state’s Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, debunked the numbers and confirmed 19 deaths), may not be as high as previous massacres in the state, it is still unacceptable. The loss of any Nigerian life should not be condoned with such casual acceptance. Only on Christmas Day, 2023, some 160 villagers were massacred in the state, followed by another massacre in January this year. Both massacres were reported heavily in the local and international press.
Plateau State used to pride itself as the home of peace and tourism prior to the onset of the crisis in 2001. From its self-styled motto, the state has unfortunately transformed into a tinderbox that ignites at the slightest provocation, regularly featuring in the news for the sheer horror of the atrocities being perpetrated on its soil. This endless cycle of violence has continued to stifle social and economic developments in the state.
The killings have persisted because of irreconcilable differences between the diverse groups that make up the state. We observe with dismay that there has not been any sincere and committed effort to reconcile the people and address the social justice issues that caused and continue to fuel the crisis.
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While there have been various peace and reconciliation committees set up by various levels of government, the mistrust the various groups have for the government has meant that none of these committees has been able to deliver peace or reconciliation to the people.
At the heart of these failures, we note is the failure of the security and justice systems to fish out the perpetrators of the massacres and deliver justice to them, according to the laws of the land.
The crisis has defied the intervention of five elected presidents — Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and now, Bola Ahmed Tinubu – and six governors, Joshua Dariye, Chris Alli, Michael Botmang, Jonah Jang, Simon Lalong, and now Caleb Mutfwang. The new administrations both at the state and federal levels must ensure that strategic measures are taken to end the recurrent crises once and for all.
One of these measures could be the deployment of the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee (NPC) to address the crisis on the Plateau. The NPC is comprised of well-regarded statesmen from diverse backgrounds and has demonstrated a lot of gumption in intervening in moments of national crisis, especially during election periods.
The urgency of the situation in Plateau State is enough reason for this committee to expand the scope of its intervention and bring the warring parties in the state to heel. If backed by the powers of the presidency, and other relevant agencies, we believe, the NPC could play a crucial role in restoring peace and reconciliation to the state.
The centrality of the state and its very cosmopolitan nature and how each killing on the Plateau touches a sensitive nerve across the country, makes this intervention necessary and crucial. It has also persistently portrayed the country and its drive for foreign investments in the most unflattering lights. It, therefore, requires delicate handling such as the one the experienced hands on the committee could bring to the table.
Backed with the necessary powers to intervene and act by federal law, and with the support of the state government, the intervention of the NPC could be crucial to impartially negotiate between the warring communities and bring about long-lasting peace in the state.
It is time the crisis in Plateau State is resolved for good and this would require thinking out of the box. The very knowledgeable and respected individuals on the NPC do not have to wait for the next election to stage their useful and habitual intervention.
We, therefore, urge the federal and the Plateau State governments to take the necessary steps to involve this committee in the peace and reconciliation efforts in the state and find a lasting solution to the crisis, which has taken a toll on the good people of the state.
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