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The recent attack by terrorists in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, in which over 80 people were killed and about 70 abducted, is an indication of the precarious security situation in the North Central region and by extension other parts of the country. During the April 10 invasion, over 100 houses were reportedly torched in 10 communities in the area. Also, a day after the murderous attack, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen invaded several villages in three local government areas of Benue State and killed a traditional ruler and 24 others. Unfortunately, the attacks came barely after a week of a similar dastardly attack in Miango villages in Bassa Local Government Area and Rantis in Barkin Ladi council of Plateau State.
Many Nigerians and groups have vehemently condemned the heinous attacks and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to deal ruthlessly with the terrorists. In the same vein, the House of Representatives had, in a resolution, expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Government and the various heads of security agencies for failing in their responsibility of protecting Nigerians.
At the same time, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by the Sultan, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar 11, and the Middle Belt Forum, (MBF) have equally spoken against the worsening security situation across the country and warned that that it would not augur well for the corporate existence of the country.
There is no doubt that virtually all parts of the country are grappling with one form of security challenge or the other. Since 2009, the North East has been battling with the menace of Boko Haram terrorist activities, while Bandits hold sway in the North West. Ethnic nationalists, kidnappers and unknown gunmen run riot in the South East, while militants and sundry criminal elements make life uncomfortable in the South South and South West, respectively. The persistent clashes between farmers and herders have seriously undermined food production in the North Central zone. Government should check the incursion of terrorist attacks in Plateau State before the situation becomes unmanageable. It is obvious that Plateau and Benue are the worst hit in the terrorist assaults.
Earlier in January, four mine workers were killed in Dong village in Jos North Local government area of the state by suspected gunmen. On August 24, 2021, a dispute between two communities over a parcel of land in Jos, Plateau State, led to a deadly night raid in which 37 people were killed. Ten days earlier, 22 people were killed and 14 injured during an attack on travellers by a group of youths along Rukuba road in the area.
We condemn the upsurge in violence in Benue and Plateau states and call on the government and security agencies to rise up to the challenge. Terrorist attacks in the two states constitute direct assault on the food basket of the nation. Coming on the heels of a recent alert by international organisations on imminent food crisis and consequent hunger in Nigeria, makes the situation more worrisome.
We agree with the observation of CAN that if the trend is not checked, there is every likelihood that farming and economic activities will be crippled in 2022 farming season. The growing insecurity is going to seriously affect other sectors of the economy and stifle Nigeria’s socio-economic development. Government should step up actions and take the bull by the horns.
While President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts should be brought to justice, the declaration ought to be matched with commensurate action because the primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of the people. Government should be the only institution with the monopoly of instruments of violence, especially in maintaining law and order. On no account should this obligation be abdicated to non-state actors in whatever guise.
Nigerians have had enough in the hands of terrorists and other criminal elements. It is high time the government took charge and restore security in Benue, Plateau and other parts of the country. The police and military need to be equipped and retrained in the face of emerging security challenges, especially on counter terrorism tactics.
There is need to review the existing security arrangements in the country. Governors of the affected states also need to do more in securing the life and property of the people in their domains. Whether the terrorists are imported or home grown, they must be ruthlessly decimated.
