Follow Us on Google
•Mutfwang reveals attackers, seeks end to insecurity
By Henry Umahi
For the people of Plateau State and their governor, Mr. Caleb Mutfwang, these are certainly challenging times. For them, it’s a period of pain and suffering.
•Mutfwang visiting survivors in hospital
They have witnessed some gut-wrenching incidents that wreaked trauma on individuals and communities in the state. Narrating the blood-chilling “unprecedented and monumental” attacks on innocent citizens on Christmas Eve, the governor said the assailants intended to break the spirit of the people and pull down the two councils but the spirit of the people on the Plateau remains unshaken.
Indeed, Mutfwang has remained resolute and unswerving despite the trials and tribulations. According to a resident of the state, Catherine Jacob, “the governor has stood with us at all times. He has shown that he means well for the state. The governor has shown uncommon love and humanity.”
It was another moment of sober reflection when Mutfwang visited the survivors of the cruel attacks on innocent residents of Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin-Ladi local government areas at the Jos University Teaching Hospital. He moved from one ward to another where the victims were receiving treatment, offering them hope and reassuring them that his administration was with them. He sympathized and encouraged the survivors and their families to remain strong and have faith in God, adding that help will soon come to end the gory insecurity in the state.
Mutfwang, who struggled to hold back tears when he encountered a three-year-old boy who was shot and his hand amputated, wondered what crime the toddler committed to deserve such a heartless attack.
He said that the attacks in Plateau were not farmer-herder clashes but pure terrorism aimed at eliminating the people from their communities and such individuals must be treated as such. He called for political will to tackle the acts of terrorism in the state to provide relief for the people.
Mutfwang expressed sympathy to the victims and assured them of government’s support. He emphasized the “administration’s determination to halt the persistent violence and bring perpetrators to justice.”
Mutfwang also pledged to shoulder the medical bills for individuals with gunshot and machete injuries. He confirmed settling the bills for patients discharged in the last six months who lacked the means to cover their expenses.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and properties, pledging continued support in all circumstances.
He extended gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and all security chiefs for their prompt response in addressing the security situation in the state. He also appealed for further assistance from the Federal Government in rehabilitating attack survivors and resettling displaced persons.
Recalling the sad incident, Mr Gyang Bere, Director of Press and Public Affairs to the governor, said: “The massacre was like no other, when the dare-devil and self-serving assailants invaded the villages in a most violent manner on that fateful day. They ambushed and killed men, women and children as well as looted food stuff and set homes ablaze.
“This was beside the no less horrendous and heartless maiming of innocent children and women, some of whom now have to grapple with the double jeopardy of being disabled orphans and widows.
“No doubt, the gory incident and the blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life drew the ire of the global community and turned Plateau State to a cynosure and focal point of the world in terms of the barbarity of lack of regards for human lives and wilful orchestration of humanitarian disaster.
“Such has been global condemnation of the bloodletting that some have described it as ‘pogrom.’ Some called it ‘genocide.’ Others called it ‘ethnic cleansing’, or ‘tribal persecution’, because of its coordinated orchestration and comprehensive scope. There are some who have also labelled it ‘war.’ But as Governor Caleb Mutfwang has said repeatedly, it was certainly nothing near a herders/farmers clash, but a well conceived, rehearsed and executed act of genocide against a definite target.
“Glean from whatever lens, and from whatever perspective and dimension, Mutfwang, again captured the experience and reality of the incident with photographic and clinical exactitude as he described the last holy day in Plateau State as a ‘gory Christmas.’ Nothing could have been worse and more heart-rending than this human tragedy.
“Nevertheless, the greater and more interesting value arising from the bloody and dastardly campaign is the manner Gov. Mutfwang responded to the development. He rose to the occasion with all its demand for uncommon leadership.
“Certainly, the carnage, with all the human casualty and property destroyed, distorted the Christmas programme of the governor but did not confuse him on what was required and what needed to be done.
“He was quick and timely in alerting the world that there was a blood-soaked security failure and sabotage in the state masterminded arguably by hardened felons and established none state actors who are certainly not happy with the progress the state has garnered so far in terms of peace making and peace keeping.
“But even before communicating with the world on the orgy of violence being perpetrated by these seeming outlaws and terrorists, the State Emergency Management Agency and other critical personnel and departments of state were called to duty with immediate effect.”
