The news of the killing of innocent people in some villages in Barki Ladi of Plateau state,Nigeria, has come to Arewa Consultative Forum with great shock. Tremendous shock not only because the killing included women and children, but also because they have occurred just after the recent reconciliatory meetings between the wary factions, as well as after the recent visit by the new National Security Adviser to Plateau state in continuation of his search for how best to address the security challenges across the country. More depressing has been the following killing of Senator Dantong and the Chief Whip of Plateau state House of Assembly as well as the wounding of a member of the House of Reps. It is, therefore, with heavy heart that ACF wishes to call on all those who derive pleasure in violent killing of neighbors as their own ways of addressing grievances to stop such drift to the stone age when communal violence was the deed in fashion. In the twenty first century, such approach is certainly primitive and barbaric, especially when regard is paid to the fact that under democracy there are due process of addressing any perceived grievances.
ACF also calls on the governments and security agencies to prosecute perpetrators of such heinous crimes against humanity as deterrence for future occurrences.
And finally, the forum commiserates with families of those killed, and prays to God to provide them with the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses. May their souls rest in perfect peace.
Anthony N Z Sani,
National Publicity Secretary,
Arewa Consultative Forum.
