By, Comrade Mahmood Yahaya Iliyasu.
“Let me say this as clearly as I can: No matter how sharp a grievance or how deep a hurt, there is no justification for killing innocents.”
—-(Former US President, Bill
Clinton)
When on Christmas Eve 2023, marauders invaded communities in some parts of Bokkos and Barkin Ladi leaving in their trail scores of hapless citizens dead, injured and traumatized; the world was shocked at the level of devastation and mayhem visited once again on the accommodating people of Plateau State.
What is most worrisome was the impunity and precision that these merchants of death orchestrated and carried out their nefarious activities without any form of resistance from the various security architecture operating within the state.
Secondly, the world was taken aback more so because the attacks were unprovoked! They were purely act of terrorism visited on the people by suspected Fulani militia that have laid siege on the state and its communities for god knows how long now.
However, the prompt response by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the renewed violence shows that the governor knows his onions.
Suspending any celebration that is usually associated with the yuletide festivities, Mutfwang swiftly mobilized his lieutenants to pay an on the spot assessment of the situation, as well as, to further strengthen the presence of government in preventing the deterioration of the carnage.
With the benefit of hindsight, this move by Mutfwang indicates a sharp departure from the past where it was alleged, and later substantiated, that an Executive Governor of the state was said to be asleep when some parts of the state were on fire.
Perhaps, Mutfwang’s government proactive move in halting any further breakdown of law and order in the affected communities and, preventing any spillover to other areas must had attracted the attention of the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who also responded swiftly when he dispatched the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Danjuma and other service chiefs to Jos nay, the affected areas to assess the situation.
Indeed, the proactive steps linked to Governor Caleb Mutfwang aptly captures the aphorism:
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they did. “
As at last count, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Egbetokun, the National Assembly and other relevant security and non-state actors have continued to troop into Plateau State to either express solidarity of the government and people of the state over the unfortunate incident or, pledged to join hands with the PDP led government in the state to find lasting solution to the disturbing and reoccurring unprovoked attacks on the people of the state.
At the risk of sounding political, this development especially the response of the federal government to provide succor to victims of the attacks and reinforcement of troops to comb the state of any criminal element extended to a state considered to be in the opposition party must be welcomed by all and sundry.
The state is no doubt enjoying this kind of collaboration from the center largely due to the charisma of the governor and his team who have left no one in doubt as to their desire to rewrite the story of Plateau State.
If the Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang’s Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP led government in Plateau could court and enjoy this kind of collaboration from the All Progressives Congress led government at the center, then it means that both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang understand deeply the tenets of democracy that puts the people first before any mundane consideration.
Both personalities, the Vice President, service chiefs and other political leaders from the state and other state must be commended for standing with Plateau State at its trying moment and, also reinforcing the maxim that: “An injury to one, is injury to all”! If for anything, Gov. Mutfwang must be given the needed support and cooperation by relevant authorities and all citizens in order to put an end to these senseless killings that seems to have defied all solutions.
It is sad and regrettable that even with the laudable feat that the Mutfwang’s administration has recorded in the last few months despite the many distractions from the courts and insecurity, these curious elements never miss any opportunity to exhibit their brazen ignorance on pages of the mass media. Such unrepentant APC paid propagandist must remember that, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” – Abraham Lincoln.
We urge Gov. Mutfwang not to be swayed by the rantings of these individuals or group whose interest is just the pecuniary gains they hope to make from their paymasters. Opposition against the PDP led government in the state should not be taken too far, for it not madness, or could it be resentment? Needless to mention that “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
For any discerning mind, Mutfwang must be commended for breaking down the walls of party opposition in just few months by attracting the level of attention his government is getting in addressing the issues of insecurity and other socio-economic challenges that used to be the bane of development in the state.
For any right thinking member of the society, it is not difficult to discern that Plateau State, in the last eight years, did not enjoy the kind of collaboration it is currently enjoying from the federal government even when the state was not in opposition with the government at the center.
It is imperative, therefore, to make this clarion call to all opposing sides and hard line critics to join the present Government under the leadership of Barrister Caleb Mutfwang to rebuild our motherland by taking a cue with this anonymous writer “For, if liberty and equality, as some persons suppose, are chiefly to be found in a democracy, they will be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.”
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