It started on Christmas eve and by yesterday, a series of attacks by gunmen on communities in two local government areas of Plateau State have left no fewer than 115 citizens dead, hundreds injured, and 221 houses razed.
Confirming the death toll, a tearful Governor Caleb Mutfwang said the massacre was unprovoked and tasked security agents to unravel the sponsors of the "carnage" and their blood-thirsty foot-soldiers.
Other accounts said no fewer than 140 persons were killed during the attacks.
Narrating, on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily, the blood-curling simultaneous attacks by assailants on over 15 communities in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi LGAs of the state on Christmas eve, Mutfwang lamented: "Just when we had finished preparations for Christmas, unprovoked attacks were unleashed on our communities."
Several houses were set ablaze by the attackers on Sunday night. The gun-wielding and blood-curling men also looted farm produce and destroyed property as they butchered the residents.
"As I am talking to you, in Mangu Local Government alone, we buried 15 people. As of this morning, in Bokkos, we are counting over 100 corpses. Not to talk of that of Barkin-Ladi."
The governor said the attacks were "unprecedented and monumental," noting that though the assailants intended to break the spirit of the people and pull down the two councils, the spirit of the people on the Plateau remain unfazed.
Mutfwang, however, said the response time by security agents, especially the men of the Nigerian Army could be better.
The governor also said the attacks are connected to land disputes between aboriginal dwellers and marauding terrorists.
He warned that the people attacked could defend themselves, noting that it might get to a time that the people may not be able to restrain themselves from defending themselves and their lands against the assailants.
Plateau citizens urged to visit hospitals for blood donation
Also, Mutfwang, in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, praised the bravery and sacrifices of security personnel, acknowledging the injuries sustained by some during efforts to secure the affected villages and assured of continued collaboration with the military and other security agencies to address security challenges, given the limited resources available.
Expressing sympathy for the affected families and communities, Governor Mutfwang urged citizens to stand strong, assuring them that "the government is actively working to address the situation."
He called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and Plateau State Emergency Management Agency to "swiftly respond to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the attacks."
Govt to offset medical bills as Deputy Gov, group condemn attacks
Mutfwang emphasized the government's commitment by covering the medical expenses of those injured and receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, and other hospitals in the state.
Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo, in a statement by her Chief Press Secretary, Martha Nyam, described the killings as "reprehensible and disheartening especially as it occurred during the festive season when the Christian faithful were celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ."
Piyo called on citizens to "prioritise peace and harmonious living at all times for the good of the state," and called on security agencies to "expedite action towards bringing the culprits to book and averting a similar situation in the future."
Mutfwang and Piyo spoke as President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to fish out the culprits with the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Northern Governors Forum, NGF, Northern senators, Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Baptist Convention, and Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, condemning the killings and tasking government on decisive action.
No option but to resort to self help - MBF
Specifically, the MBF said that the Federal Government is unwilling to end the recurring killings in the region, warning that Middle-Beltans are being left with no option but to resort to self-help.
It called for the establishment of state police to avert full-blown hostilities.
MBF National President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, in a statement, said: "Section 14(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stipulates that 'the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
"Conversely, the unrelenting massacre of our people in the Middle-Belt states particularly recently on the Plateau has shown without any vestige of pessimism that the government and security forces are complicit in the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous ethnic nationalities who are not part of the Sokoto Caliphate.
"It is no longer news that the hideout from which these insurgents/terrorists launch their attacks on the states of Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Southern Kaduna is known to government and security forces for decades yet they have deliberately fortified this evil theatre from any destruction thus providing a safe haven for these terrorists to smuggle arms, train their mercenaries and unleash unimaginable terror on innocent citizens without any provocation whatsoever.
"Mahanga, a forest which lies at the foot of the hills of Bokkos LGA of Plateau State and borders Wamba LGA of Nasarawa State to the south, is the infamous launching ground of all attacks against our people in the last two decades and fully known to government and security forces.
"The complicity of the government and security forces is that they have shielded this autonomous Fulani community, which is known to house all manner of weapons, including missiles that are used to destabilise the peaceful coexistence of the country without ever invading and uprooting them from the forest.
"This same tactic of nurturing and fortifying terrorist camps finds expression in the Mandara hills in Borno and Alagarno, where the military moved the entire residents of over 11,000 people from Sabon Gari, leaving the whole road between Biu and Damboa for the terrorists to operate freely, even collecting tolls on the highways.
"This implicates the government of collusion with these armed non-state actors to kill and maim our people with the intent to eclipse our heritage and existence.
"Our resolve to confront headlong this abysmal and surreptitious extinction of our people is anchored on our quest for the liberation of Middle-Belt states from the oppressive and tyrannical manipulations of external forces that have retarded development in our region.
"We shall take the bull by the horns to defend our people as the last option left to us predicated on our land, our people and our heritage.
"It is pertinent to note that the divide and rule tactic over the years employed by our adversaries has accounted for the political subjugation of our people, thereby limiting our access to economic power which concomitantly renders us vulnerable and defenceless in the face of carefully orchestrated stratagems to eclipse our heritage and continued survival.
"The plight of ethnic nationalities in the states of Nasarawa, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Kebbi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Kogi and Abuja, who are daily butchered like chicken ricochet the imbalance and unfairness of the northern oligarchy to our indigenous people of the Middle-Belt, who are daily treated as lesser humans without dignity and worth which is an inherent endowment of God on all humanity.
"We shall never again accept the ignoble and inferior status imposed on our people by the caliphate and Nigerian government acting in connivance with security forces to drive us out of our ancestral homeland.
"This is in view of the fact that our forefathers, who fought to keep this country united are warriors who deserve nothing but respect and honour.
"Our governors should rise up to the responsibility of safeguarding the lives of the citizens through the maximum utilization of vigilante in communities under attacks to stem the tide of these massacres since they lack autonomy over the military and police forces.
"In view of the helplessness of governors in the midst of these attacks, state police is the only option left to secure this country from a full-blown war as arms stockpile is on an alarming increase, given the ineffectiveness of government in guaranteeing the security of lives and property of Nigerians.
"The government should note that the occupation and renaming of communities by the Fulani after dislodging our people is part of the grand plan of the northern oligarchy to stamp our people out of their ancestral homelands which we will resist to the point of death without faltering. Enough is enough."
Fish out culprits, Tinubu orders security agencies
Condemning the attacks, which he described as primitive, President Bola Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, directed security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits.
The President also directed immediate mobilisation of relief resources for surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks and medical treatment for the wounded.
While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau, the president assured Nigerians that "these envoys of death, pain, and sorrow would not escape justice."
Northern elders, governors, senators condemn attacks
Meanwhile, Senators from the 19 northern states under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum, NSF, have condemned the Plateau massacre and urged the Federal Government to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
In a statement by their spokesman, Senator Suleiman Sumaila, the Northern senators described the killings as brural, indefensible, devoid of reason and stain on shared humanity, and urged the Federal Government to draw inspiration for action from reports of past investigations.
"It is with profound sorrow and a weighty heart that, as a forum, we address you on the recent tragic incident of mass killing in Plateau State. This brutal act is indefensible, devoid of reason, and stains our shared humanity. We unequivocally condemn such heinous acts and express our deepest condolences to the affected families, loved ones, the people, and the Government of Plateau State. Their immense loss is a collective grief, and we stand united in our determination to seek justice.
"In our legislative role, we condemn this reprehensible act and call on the authorities to promptly initiate a comprehensive investigation. Allocating necessary resources to swiftly identify and apprehend the perpetrators is paramount. They must face the full force of the law, ensuring justice prevails.
"During these trying times, unity among citizens is crucial. We must draw on our shared values of compassion, empathy, and respect to support one another and provide solace to those affected. This collective effort will foster resilience to overcome this dark chapter in our history.
"As representatives of the people, we urge the Federal Government to consolidate investigation reports of similar cases, taking necessary action to prevent future occurrences."
NGF tasks security agencies on decisive action
Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum, NGF, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the attacks as shocking.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor condemned the massacres, insisting that nothing justified the violence visited on innocent people.
He urged the security agencies to get to the root of the incident and bring perpetrators to book. Governor AbdulRazaq prayed to God to give comfort to all the affected families, and appealed to everyone on the Plateau to do everything to avoid a cycle of violence, which only inflicts generational pains and underdevelopment.
Northern Elders demand investigation into reported security lapse
In like manner, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, in a statement by its spokesmann/Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, expressed concern "over the inability of the military to prevent the Christmas Eve killings, despite claiming to have promptly responded to 36 distress calls from different locations in Plateau State in the 48 hours leading up to Christmas. This highlights the Forum's growing suspicions regarding the efficacy and sufficiency of the government's operational methods."
It wondered if the strategies employed by the government are "flawed or grossly inadequate, given the audacious regularity and ease with which the attackers operate across the northern region," noting that a similar security incident happened in Ruwan Dorawa village, Zamfara State on Christmas leading to the death of two persons and abduction of over 25 individuals, predominantly children and women, including the wife of the village head.
"In light of this incident and the escalating security challenges faced by the region, NEF urgently demands a comprehensive investigation into the reported security lapse in Ruwan Dorawa village. The findings of this inquiry must be made public, and those responsible for the security breach must be held accountable to ensure justice for the victims and prevent such incidents from reoccurring.
"Furthermore, NEF calls upon the relevant authorities to give immediate attention to the several administrative and judicial commissions of inquiry reports concerning security incidents in Plateau, Kaduna, and other conflict areas in the North.
These reports contain vital information and recommendations that, if implemented, could contribute to strengthening the security infrastructure and maintaining peace and harmony in the region.
"NEF urgently calls for a reassessment of the current strategies deployed by the government, as they have proved ineffective and inefficient in curbing the escalating violence."
Perpetrators must be apprehended -- Speaker Abbas
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, described the attacks as barbaric and heinous.
He noted with concern the trend of attacks by gunmen, bandits and other criminals, who kill innocent Nigerians, and urged the security and intelligence agencies to forestall further loss of lives and property on the Plateau and other parts of the country.
He also charged them to go after the perpetrators of the dastardly act, apprehend and prosecute them.
"Nigeria has recorded too many losses of lives and property under attacks, and this trend must stop forthwith," Abbas said.
Violence must not be allowed to prevail -- CAN
On its part, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, decried the horrifying incidents, including those that took place in the villages of Ruku, Hurum, Darwat, Mai Yanga Sabo, NTV, and Lisham Kwahasnat community in Wase LGA, that led to the loss of numerous lives and destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement, condemned the killings and urged citizens to shun all forms of violence.
He said: "Violence has no place in our society, it's a direct assault on our shared values of peace, unity, and mutual respect, and must not be allowed to prevail.
"The burning down of houses, worship centres, and destruction of property is not only a criminal act but also undermines our collective peace and unity."
The CAN President expressed solidarity with the families, friends, and communities who tragically lost their loved ones.
"We mourn with you at this time of grief, and our prayers go out to you for comfort and strength," he said, specifically mentioning the loss of brethren in the Baptist Church in Chirang village.
The national leadership of CAN commended the swift intervention of the Military and the deployment of a joint police and military task force in restoring peace and preventing further lawlessness in the affected communities.
Okoh also lauded the efforts of State Governor Mutfwang in calling for peace and unity amid such adversity.
However, the CAN urged security agencies to intensify their efforts in intelligence gathering and proactive interventions to pre-empt and forestall these types of dastardly acts in the future."
Despite these tragic incidents, CAN reiterated its belief in the unity and strength of the nation and prayed for peace in the hearts and homes of Nigerians, saying: "May the peace of the season dwell in our hearts and homes, and may God bless Plateau State and our dear nation, Nigeria."
Put a stop to senseless killings, Baptist Convention begs security agencies
Also speaking, Nigerian Baptist Convention, NBC, in a statement by Rev. Eben Durodola, its Public Relations Officer, called for immediate intervention by security agencies.
The attacks, which have resulted in the loss of many lives and significant damage to worship centres, have caused deep-rooted concern and anguish among religious and community leaders alike.
Rev. Dr. Israel Akanji, President of NBC, in the statement expressed distress regarding the situation.
"We are saddened by the continued killing of worshippers like chicken in Plateau State and other parts of the country," he stated.
He called on President Tinubu to as a matter of urgency provide necessary security to all Nigerians and bring an end to the wanton killings in parts of the country.
The recent spate of violence has seen the Fulani militias targeting several communities, including NTV, Dares, Yelwa, and Chirang, resulting in numerous casualties.
Among the casualties is Pastor Solomon Gushe and eight of his congregation members, who were killed when a Baptist church was burned down.
Rev. Akanji explained that the militias decided to strike during the yuletide celebration.
He implored the security agencies to provide needed security for every Nigerian and put a stop to the senseless killings.
32 peace mediation groups condemn Christmas eve attacks
A coalition of 32 indigenous peace mediation groups in Plateau State also condemned the Plateau killings.
The group of peace-building organizations operating under the aegis of Coalition of Plateau State Peace Builders Forum expressed sadness that the peace recently achieved in the state by the government and security agencies, especially Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, had been jeopardized.
In a statement by Amb. Melvin Ejeh, Executive Director, Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative , GOPRI; Dr. Peter Bot, National Coordinator, Community Action for Peace Initiative and Engr. Obadiah Muchen, the coordinator of the Action Against Violence Initiative, noted that before the renewed attacks on some communities, there was a total restoration of peace by security agencies, notably Operation Safe Haven.
"We condemn these callous, brutal, unwarranted, and senseless attacks in the strongest terms possible. We are saddened by this kind of heartlessness and barbarism displayed by some suspected criminal herdsmen, who take delight in perpetually making Plateau State ungovernable at a time when Governor Mutfwang and critical security stakeholders, notably Operations Safe Haven, the military outfit, saddled with the internal security of the state have worked so hard to restore peace to the once troubled state. This madness is talking too far, and we must come together to stop it at once."
Enough of this genocide -- CUPP
For the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, the massacres in Plateau State have become a genocide and must be stopped.
National Secretary of CUPP, Chief Peter Ameh, said: "We in CUPP have watched in great shock, utter trepidation and indescribable awe the viral videos on the massacre of more than 150 innocent souls in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State, and we hereby unambiguously and unequivocally condemn the killings as an act of genocide that has been ongoing for more than eight years.
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"These killings have been going on for a long time, and it seems as if the Federal and Plateau State governments have become defenceless and helpless, and do not have any clue as to how to either nip it in the bud or put a finality to it. Enough is enough.
"CUPP, hereby urges the security agencies to move into an overdrive and either smoke, or fish out those responsible for these killings and their sponsors and promptly bring them to justice, or in the alternative take justice to them, wherever they may be hiding.
"CUPP also recommends that the government of President Tinubu should immediately convene or empanel a committee to look at our constitution, which we regard more as a unitary constitution with a view to amending it to conform truly with the federalism, we mouth our country to be, and empower the component states to have their internal security be it police, coast guards or vigilante organisations among others to enable them effectively secure their local borders."
Amnesty International urge investigation of security lapses
However, Amnesty International has urged the Nigerian authorities to investigate "inexcusable security lapses" that allowed the horrific killing of over 140 people by gunmen across over 20 villages of Bokkos and parts of Barkin-Ladi LGAs of Plateau state.
"Our investigation shows that the gunmen were on a rampage of killing and destruction for more than 48 hours, moving from one village to another. Apart from Bokkos LGAm where the attacks started and lasted hours, the gunmen also crossed into Barkin Ladi LGA and killed dozens of people in Hurum, Daruwat, Maiyanga and NTV villages.
"President Tinubu must set up an impartial, independent and effective panel to investigate the apparent failure of security agencies to halt the bloodshed hours after villages that were attacked were gathering dead bodies of those killed and conveying those injured to hospitals," said Isa Sanusi Director Amnesty International Nigeria.
"Patterns of recent deadly attacks on the rural areas of Plateau State, clearly show, the Nigerian authorities have left these communities at the mercy of rampaging gunmen. Nigerian authorities' failure to tame the tide of this violence is costing people's lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action many more lives may be lost," he added.
Nigeria witnessing more killings than countries at war -- PETER Obi
On his part, Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, in the February 25, poll, said some countries at war have not experienced the level of killings and violence going on in Nigeria.
Reacting to the Christmas eve killings in Plateau State, violence in Zamfara and Katsina states, the former Anambra State governor said: "Even some countries in open declared wars have not experienced this level of insecurity, violence and loss of human lives. Let us continue to pray for our nation that God will heal our land."
His words: "As we celebrate this season of peace and love and the approach of a new year, I like to spare a thought for our compatriots in uniform.
"After my sympathy visit to the Regent of Oba Community in Anambra State for the recent horrific killing of people in a nightclub in that community, plus the mindless act of terrorism that occurred on Christmas Day in Plateau State, where the death toll is now reportedly more than 100 with over 300 injured, with the saddening acts of violence that have occurred in Zamfara and Katsina states, where farmers were killed and several others kidnapped, and the many other violent attacks in many parts of the country, which may go unreported, my thoughts went to our overstretched security operatives.
"The men and women of our armed and security services come to mind. They are our gallant troops in various battlefronts of insecurity, the policemen and women on patrol in our cities and highways, the Civil Defense Corps, and Department of State Security operatives.
"These illustrious citizens are often lost in our thoughts and prayers both as leaders and fellow citizens, yet they remain the guardians and protectors of our freedom as a people.
"I am also thinking of those who in the call of duty have to spend this festive season away from the comfort of their homes and the embrace of loved ones.
"I am referring to those who face the risk of the supreme sacrifice to protect and defend the freedom of our dear nation and the liberties that come with our democracy.
"Let us spare them our thoughts and prayers this season.
"Let them be reassured that their labours are appreciated by a grateful nation. Great nations are built by rulers, citizens, and the protectors of freedom.
"Therefore, to all our illustrious heroes, please accept the prayers and thoughts of your compatriots and the appreciation of a grateful nation for your services and sacrifices. God bless you all for what you do for us all.
