From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, has said that his men averted an attack on Plateau following the alleged killing of a Fulani leader in Panyam in Mangu Local Government of Plateau State, Ardo Adamu Idris Gabdo.
The Fulani leader was declared missing on September 24 and is body discovered last week.
The commander, who also doubles as the general Officer commanding 3 Armoured Division, spoke at a stakeholders meeting with traditional rulers and stakeholders of Mwaghavul and Fulani leaders in Mangu on Tuesday.
He said that on Monday he received an alert of mobilisation by a group of militants from Nasarawa planning an attack on Plateau community.
The commander said, ” As I was sitting on the high table, I received that some miscreant from Nasarawa are planning to attack Plateau. We were able to nip it in the bud through credible intelligence. I assure you that we we will continue to do our best to keep the peace, but maintaining the peace rests on all of you.”
Abdulsalam said the people should be able to distinguish between criminality and attacks, stressing that criminal was acts were often mistaken as attacks.
“We must be able to make a difference between criminal activities and attacks. Separate criminality from conflict. The killing of the Ardo was a criminal act. It was not as a result of the collective desire of the Mwaghavul people. Criminals commit crimes not for the benefit of their community but for their own selfish interest. Just yesterday six people were killed and their motorcycles taken away. These are the acts of common criminals.”
“What is happening on the Plateau is a criminal act. When cattle are rustled the criminals go enjoy the proceeds while people continue to kill themselves.
“Proliferation of small arms are also a bane of the crisis in the country. Since the assumption of office 3 months ago, the task force has recovered over a thousand weapons. Illicit drugs are also a contributory factor to the crisis in the State and country at large”, the Commander said.
He urged the people to stop the attacks s adding that once attacks were stopped, the crises in Plateau will stop.
Maj.-Gen. Abubakar said for peace progress to be achieved, forgiveness must be achieved.
He said the determination to draw the line for peace must be paramount unless the vicious circle will continue, adding that the royal fathers who have contributed in ensuring peace will be disappointed if their efforts are not respected.
He assured the stakeholders and the general public that those who killed the late Ardo will soon be apprehended, saying that three suspects are already in their custody and promising that by next week the prime suspect will be caught.
Speaking also, the leader of the Plateau State Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Emir of Wase, Alh. Dr. Muhammadu Sambo Haruna, said the people should stop blaming outsiders for the attacks.
He said, “The people perpetrating these attacks are not from outside, but from Plateau state. So stop blaming outsiders for the attacks on Plateau because if somebody is coming from Bauchi state to attack Plateau state he cannot succeed if somebody from Plateau state did not open the doors for him.”
The emir said that there is a need for the youth leaders of both Mangu community and the Fulani community to further meet at the Palace of the Mangu Traditional leader tomorrow morning to continue the deliberation of nipping their problems in the bud.
He appealed to the youths who will be meeting the Traditional ruler’s house tomorrow to be sincere and ventilate all issues.
Paramount Ruler of Mangu, Da John Hirse, noted that the past should remain in the past and measures on how to move forward should top every discussion among stakeholders.
Earlier, the Management Committee Chairman Mangu, Hon. Markus Autu in his welcome address admonished all stakeholders to engage in a frank discussion
Other stakeholders who spoke at the event also noted that herdsmen and grazing on farmlands are the major trigger to the crisis in the area.
Highlight of the meeting was the decision to set up a committee of Mwaghavul and Fulani youths to fashion out ways of coexisting peacefully.