Plateau cannot remain a killing field, says diaspora group

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

The Plateau State Association USA, Inc. (PSA-USA) has warned that it cannot stand by as Plateau State becomes a killing field.

In a statement signed by its National President, Dr Bartholomew Shepkong, the group condemned the ongoing violence, declaring, “Plateau State cannot continue to be a killing field while perpetrators roam free with impunity.”

The PSA-USA urged immediate action, stating, “The association therefore called on the president to: immediate respond with urgency, leadership, and the political will to bring these atrocities to an end.”

It also demanded that “security agencies… fulfill their constitutional mandate to protect all Nigerian lives by swiftly identifying, arresting, and prosecuting the perpetrators.” Furthermore, it called on “the international community to recognize the violence in the Middle Belt as a full-scale human rights crisis and respond with appropriate urgency.”

Expressing profound sorrow, the group decried the “barbaric and coordinated assaults on peaceful communities—resulting in the brutal killings of scores of people, the burning of homes, and the mass displacement of families.” They emphasised, “They said these are not just acts of violence, are acts of terror and must be acknowledged and treated as such.”

The PSA-USA stood in solidarity with victims, stating, “We mourn with those who have lost loved ones, and we stand in unwavering solidarity with the victims and survivors. Enough is enough.” They recommended that displaced persons be supported and guaranteed a safe return to their ancestral lands, asserting, “No one should be permanently uprooted by violence. The right to land, heritage, and dignity must be protected by law and restored without delay.”

The group demanded accountability: “We also demand that the perpetrators of these atrocities be publicly identified and held accountable. There can be no healing without justice and no future without truth. The blood of the innocent cries out for more than condemnation—it calls for consequence.”