North’s Leaders Behind Plateau Crises, Says Jang

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.”