From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kefiano Foundation, Chief Kefas Wungak Ropshik, has said that the only way to stop the incessant killings and spilling of blood in Plateau state is for the people to unite and team up to fight those he described as their common enemy.
He said that it’s necessary for the people to take their destiny into their hands because it has become apparent that the security agencies have failed in protecting their lives and territories.
Speaking after distributing palliatives to 600 orphans and Persons With Disabilities (PWD) as part of activities marking his birthday in Jos, the philantropist described the recent killings in three local government areas of Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu, as tragic and painful.
The CEO said, “it is a very sad moment and quite unfortunate that this is happening to Plateau State. But, of course, we will always call on government to do the needful especially, we the Plateau people. It is getting to a time that we cannot fold our arms and wait for government.
“We must think outside the box on how our people can be protected, and this goes directly to the state government. We must build our internal security to protect us. Katsina State, today, trained people and armed them with AK 47. I think it is getting to the stage that Plateau people need to do that. We need to do that!
“They are killing our people like animals and we cannot fold our arms and be waiting for security because, the security have failed us. We cannot imagine these people coming to kill people the first day, come back the second day and the third day. It means they are within the vicinity”, he enthused.
Ropshik, however, said that sharing security numbers to the public was not enough because the time of their response to distressed calls was one big question and one major challenge the people were struggling with, hence the need for people to protect themselves.
We must learn to unite and speak one voice and not for political gains. I seriously fraud at it and that is the truth. We are tired of waiting for government. I am a victim of this carnage because I have adopted 20 children whose parents were slaughtered in their presence. How long are we going to continue in that?
He asked politicians to keep politics aside and support the government in power to succeed while calling on stakeholders regardless of political affinity to unite for the sake Plateau State and its people.