Gunmen on Tuesday 21 August 2021 killed no fewer than 36 persons in Ahwol Ward, Naraguta community, in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state. The gunmen suspected to be herdsmen stormed the community at night with sophisticated weapons and killed the victims while several others sustained injuries. This caused the state government to imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state capital, Jos.
Remember, that on Saturday 14 August 2021, a mob in Jos attacked 5 buses carrying a Muslim group from Bauchi to Ondo, killing more than 25 of the occupants. Since then reprisal killings have worsened, leading to different states of the federation sending buses to evacuate students of their states from the University of Jos in what some have interpreted as the preparation for the darkness descending on Plateau State.
The recent attack in Ahwol is the reason the Plateau State House of Assembly on Friday 27 August 2021 called on the people to rise and defend themselves. In a statement released by Dasun Philip Peter, House Committee Chairman on Information, the lawmakers call for vigilance:
“We strongly call on Plateau People to practically stand up and defend themselves and their communities, as the conventional security design is no longer guaranteeing our safety as a people.
“We call on the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, to come up with a statement defending us as a People and to bring back renewed commitment to the cause of Plateau.
“We also call on the Traditional Rulers to look inward and release the Local Security design to protect Plateau people as well as reinforce the Vigilante, Hunters and local wise men to defend our people.
“As a sign of commitment to this urgent need for the people to protect themselves, the Plateau State House of Assembly has directed all Local Government Chairmen to suspend their planned recruitment of Adhoc Staff and instead recruit 200 Vigilante Personnel in each Local Government Area to boost and argument Local Intelligence Gathering.”
Note:
As the people of Plateau brace up for the challenges of insecurity that has seen them agitated and desperate, the special military task force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) on Monday 30 August 2021, warned that self help will worsen the situation. The army faults the call for self-defense, but ask the people to cooperate with it to route the killers. The task force assures Plateau citizens of their safety saying, “We wish to assure the good people of the state that OPSH is committed to protecting lives and property of all.”