The lingering crises in Plateau State which has led to killings, is
not ethnic but sponsored, Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang said
yesterday.
Jang alleged that some north’s leaders and some security operatives are fuelling the crises.
He also accused north’s governors of opposing state police because of Plateau state.
The Plateau governor spoke in Abuja at a church programme tagged
‘Plateau Prays’ organised by the Plateau State Indigenes Development
Association (PSIDA) in Abuja.
He expressed regret that he called meetings to find a lasting solution to the lingering crises to no avail.
The governor who was represented by his Special Adviser on Religious
Affairs, Rev. Choji Gyang said: “We keep asking ourselves why Plateau
State is in crises. Why they are against Plateau is because we call
ourselves Plateau the Christian state. And Islam is a very strong
religion in the northern part of the country. So for Plateau to come out
to say it is a Christian state it is against the wishes of those who
don’t want any other religion outside Islam in northern Nigeria.
“Plateau is different from other northern states. That is why the
enemies are causing crises. We need to go back to God our creator. The
crises in Jos have taken a new dimension. The crises can best be
described as a Gorilla war in the military terms. A strategy of hit and
run, a strategy of getting them from the side, then the centre cannot
hold.
“We say we are Christians and the recent killing is a clear
indication that it is not just an ethnic crisis. It is more
sophisticated than that from investigations.
“As I am talking to you now, it is obvious that some security people
are involved in the attacks on the Plateau. In the last attack, one of
the security men was caught in the act and he was shot and was rushed to
the Plateau hospital and investigations are going on. Before that
incident, one other person was caught and he said there are people
somewhere in the far north who are sponsoring the Plateau crises.
“Recently when the National Assembly called for constitution amendment, the issues of the state police came up.
A governor said he spoke with one of the governors from the far north
as to the reason why they were not supporting the state police. And the
governor told his Southern colleaugues point-blank that they were not
supporting the state police because of Plateau State . This statement
calls for so many interpretations as to why they do not want to support
state police.
“The governor (Jang) said recently one of the governors told him that
one of the problems that he is having with those on the top is because
he is the one helping out in the issues that concern Plateau. That he
shouldn’t be the one talking. Jang said I do not have a voice on the
Plateau so if I do not speak who will? We do not have a voice on the
Plateau. I have gathered the who- is- who in the state to discus on the
way forward but all to no avail. The governor is delighted to be part of
this programme today. We need prayers to solve Plateau crisis.”
President of PSIDA, Mr. Bako Nabasu expressed disappointment that the
economy of the state has been badly weakened by the crises.
Nabasu expressed frustration at the attitude of the elite in Plateau,
adding: “The divisive tendency employed by the political class at the
detriment of the state is worrisome and must stop if we must succeed as a
people. We must all put hands on deck and together as a people come to
God in prayers. We must not make the mistake of coming to the Almighty
as a divided people.”
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