Barrister Solomon Dalung’s Goodwill Message To All Residents In Plateau State

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want meaning since we believe in the Almighty God we shall not lack anything. Indeed when we look around us we shall see the goodness of the Lord. That we are living is a testimony for thanksgiving. Just yesterday morning, I received the news of my friend the Deputy Governor, Borno State who died in his sleep. He went to bed sound and hearty but could not see the next day. Let us praise His Holy name for His mercies.

Let us look at the peace situation on the Plateau and reflect on how we lost our stability. Anytime I hear of killings of people by the so called militias I feel terribly bad. I can't imagine been blocked and butcher on the highway just because unknown gunmen has attacked a community. Innocent commuters either within the state or outside the state had lost their lives in these gruesome massacres. Aggression is transferred to different locations while unsuspecting victims are profiled then taken to slaughter slaps for butchering. Haba, what have we turned into my people?

Today in Plateau State we have lost the sense of humanity hence not connected to God. "Thou shall not kill" says the Lord. Therefore shedding of blood for whatever reasons is not justified. How then do we allow our consciences to be contaminated by straying away from the glory of God? It is true that killings of our people had been taking place in villages all over the state by unknown gun men. Even though we have idea of features of them but can we justify our revenge by killing anybody who share the same faith or ethnicity with them? Why can we fight back whenever they attacked but allowed havoc to be wrecked just to turned around to block public highways? Why have we failed to mobilize our capacity to defend ourselves instead of senseless sporadic war against the world. If we felt not protected by the state, then the best warfare is self-defense.

In the last decade, criminals are accorded justifiable nomenclatures: Tarok or Berom Christian militias, Cattle rustlers, Unknown gunmen etc. May I ask, it is true that there is Christian militia? Who constituted it? Where, when and for what purpose? Secondly can it be true that those who killed in villages are unknown or its mere cover up to justify impunity? The use of the concepts is to me a blackmail to insulate impunity. No Believer in Christ will perpetuate such heinous atrocities and claimed to be a Christian. "The battle is mind says the Lord", we believe that our God will fight all battles for us whether physical or spiritual. More so that "the weapons of our warfare is not carnal". We must foundation our actions on the basis of our faith. Except if we are saying that our God is no more living. This is unacceptable and cannot be factor into the worship of God.

We have no moral grounds to point accusing fingers at the current administrations of President Buhari and Governor Lalong. These killings of people in the villages started under the watch of President Jonathan and Governor Jang but nothing was done about it. We were busied celebrating them while our people where been killed. Even legislators, Senator Dantong and Hon Gyang Fulani were murdered in cold blood, till date no single arrest was made. Then we were comfortable with evil but now that guards had changed against our sentiments then it's time for crying foul. If Governor Jang could not protect his own neighborhood from unknown gunmen then who can we blame today? It's unfortunate that the innocent people who are victims of bad leadership are also vulnerable to incessant killings in their villages.

We all know the unforgiving psychology of Fulani herdsmen when there cattle are rustled. They live on nothing except their cattle. They don't care about houses, roads, schools, hospitals or other social amenities. All they know is their cattle. Fulani herdsmen are nomads who are not landowners neither are they interested in political offices or traditional stool. All they care for is Ardo who is their leader. Their traditional wrong doing we know is straying into farmlands which has a perfect resolution mechanism of compensation. So why are they been attacked and their cattle stolen? Who is responsible for this criminal act? Peace will be a stranger in any community where fulani herdsmen had their cattle stolen. This is the typical psychology of nomads especially Fulani herdsmen.

Therefore we cannot be talking about peace without justice. The villagers been killed on daily basis demands justice while the living requires protection. Also the Fulani herdsmen whose means of livelihood has been dispossessed demands justice by compensation. This will be the beginning of peaceful coexistence in the flash point areas. Of course this is the challenge the new administrations must consider urgently. The Federal Government must review and implement the report of "Chief Solomon Lar Presidential Peace Committee on Plateau State" to strengthen harmony among the diverse communities in Northern Plateau.

I condemn in strong terms the criminality of killing people in the villages and the blocking of highways to profile and butcher innocent citizens. Security of lives and properties must be guaranteed while arms carrying criminals usurping the identity of militias must be dealt with ruthlessly for peace to return. I send my condolences to all victims of this evil that bedeviled our harmony while praying to God to protect our citizens wherever they are. May God grant us peace on the Plateau, Amen.

Signed by Barrister Solomon Dalung
Posted By Francis John
APC USA International Secretariat Working for you
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