Plateau Killings: Northern Governors Speak On FG’s Intervention

The Northern Governors’ Forum has lauded the Federal Government for its effort towards ensuring that the tragic killings in Plateau and Kaduna state do not reoccur.

Speaking on Thursday during the forum’s stance to State House media in Hausa following private discussions with the President at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, the
Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, who chairs the Forum, said it is pleased with the federal government’s effort.

He also thanked the federal government for supporting and providing relief materials for the survivors and the relatives of the deceased.

He advised against creating dividing narratives among communities, claiming that the horrific killings were a result of such divisions.

The Governor called for a more comprehensive examination of the local and distant causes to provide long-lasting solutions.

In order to facilitate development in all areas for the benefit of Nigerians, Governor Yahaya also called for closer cooperation between the federal and state governments.

Sympathizing with those who lost their loved ones during the attack, Yahaya called for restraint from aggrieved communities who may be tempted to take revenge.

He said, “In my capacity as the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, I praise the steps taken by the President to get to the root of what happened in these two states and the pledge he made that the right action would be taken to prevent future occurrence of these incidents.

“Above all, I thank him for supporting victims or survivors. Even though this matter has been there for a long time, it is time for stakeholders to have a round table and tell each other the truth and then take deliberate steps toward loving each other. Before now, the people were living in peace and doing their regular business.

“Some major issues that seem to allow the problem to persist include farmer-herder clashes, the clamour for indigenes versus settlers.But the world over, if any society or country does not welcome visitors, such a nation will not progress. After all, we here are the same family.There should be no reason why anyone should go and kill or take the life of a fellow human being since it is not a war situation.

“Reprisal attacks have not taken us anywhere, so we need to concentrate on understanding ourselves and knowing that we have leaders at all levels to whom we can lodge our complaints.

“We should imbibe the habit of loving one another and living in peace for the progress of all of us.

“Collaboration of the states and the federal government, in fact, including the local governments, is key and fundamental for us because if there is any disconnect, we may not deliver on what we must do for the people.”