Plateau Killings: NBA Demands Urgent Action From FG, Mutfwang

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for urgent and coordinated action by the Federal Government and Plateau State Government to stop the continued attacks on communities across the state, Naija News reports.

The association said the persistent loss of lives and property was undermining public confidence in government and raising serious concerns about the protection of citizens.

The NBA condemned recent attacks in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos Local Government Areas, noting that criminal elements had continued to attack communities despite the imposition of curfews.

The association spoke through the Chairman of the NBA Jos Branch, Morgan Dung, while addressing journalists on Monday at the NUJ Secretariat in Jos.

“The unabated cycle of violence unleashed on law-abiding citizens denigrates the social contract, and undermines public confidence in the State,” the NBA said.

The lawyers specifically cited the killing of community vigilantes at their duty post in Kikyau village, Mangu Local Government Area, during curfew hours.

They also mentioned reported attacks in Kantoma and Bin-Per villages in Mangu.

In Barkin Ladi, the NBA listed Kassa, Wereh, Ropp, Fan and Marit districts among areas affected by the attacks.

It warned that the situation was “an invitation to total anarchy and complete breakdown of law and order”.

The association said the protection of lives and property remained the most fundamental responsibility of government, citing Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees every person the right to life.

“The protection of lives and property is the most fundamental responsibility of government,” it said.

The NBA also expressed concern that repeated attacks had created an environment where perpetrators could operate with impunity, while some communities had allegedly been displaced from their ancestral lands over the years.

The lawyers commended President Bola Tinubu for visiting Plateau to condole with the state over the killings in Jos North.

They also acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts towards the creation of state police and the proposed security training of Nigerians.

However, the NBA called for an executive bill to be presented to the National Assembly to move security onto the Concurrent Legislative List and give state governors greater control over security operations in their states.

“Maintaining status quo in the chain of command has proven to be unyielding in the light of recent ugly developments in the country,” the association said.

It further urged the Federal Government to properly equip and motivate the Armed Forces and paramilitary agencies.

The NBA called for stronger border surveillance and better security measures around communities sharing borders with Bauchi and Taraba states.

It also demanded the degazetting of the forest around the Pai River Game Reserve and the establishment of a military formation there to tackle criminal activities around the Plateau, Bauchi and Taraba axis.

The association also commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration for its security measures in the state.

It listed the revamping of the neighbourhood watch and Operation Rainbow, training of 2,000 personnel, procurement of security vehicles and motorcycles, establishment of a command and central monitoring centre in Jos, as well as the creation of a committee on the establishment of a state police service.

“The above initiatives came with a huge relief to Plateau citizens,” the NBA said.

However, the lawyers urged the state government to facilitate the licensing of Operation Rainbow and Neighbourhood Watch personnel to operate kinetic facilities under the supervision of frontline security agencies.

They also called for an amendment of the Plateau State Operation Rainbow law, implementation of the Anti-Land Grabbing Law and provision of structures for police divisions and forward operating bases across the state.

The NBA further urged Plateau, Bauchi and Taraba states to strengthen cooperation in tackling security threats along their shared borders.

At the local government level, the association called on local government chairmen to reside in their respective areas of jurisdiction to improve governance and coordination with the state government.

It also urged communities to strengthen intelligence gathering while warning residents against spreading unverified information, making inciting comments or taking the law into their own hands.

Traditional rulers were asked to protect the property of their subjects, monitor the influx of unidentified persons into their communities and report unusual activities to the relevant authorities.

The NBA demanded a more effective response from security agencies to kidnapping, banditry, land grabbing, terrorism and other crimes.

It expressed concern over the ‘near absence’ of security vehicles procured through state government intervention at flashpoints in the hinterlands.

The association demanded the immediate redeployment of the vehicles to areas facing security threats.

“We demand their immediate relocation to combat insecurity in real time,” it said.

The lawyers also called for tighter control of military uniforms, ammunition and other security items, as well as the arrest and prosecution of people impersonating security personnel.

They demanded investigations into delayed responses to attacks and appropriate sanctions for security officers found culpable.

“The spectre of security agencies belatedly appearing in scenes of attack after the assailants have successfully retreated should be investigated,” the NBA said.

NBA Demands Speedy Terrorism Trials

On the judiciary, the association called for time-bound trials of terrorism-related cases to ensure their speedy determination and prosecution.

It also urged sanctions against lawyers whose unethical conduct contributes to delays in the administration of justice.

The NBA called for the publication of the outcomes of trials involving identified sponsors and other actors of terrorism, saying this would help strengthen public confidence in the justice system.

The association said its branches in Plateau remained committed to using their expertise in criminal law, constitutional law, human rights, public interest litigation, alternative dispute resolution and legal aid to support lawful efforts to tackle insecurity.

“The NBA will support every lawful effort to ensure that perpetrators of atrocities, including those who finance, sponsor, facilitate or otherwise aid acts of terrorism and other violent crimes, are identified, investigated and, where sufficient evidence exists, prosecuted in accordance with the law,” it said.

The lawyers also pledged to advocate for the protection of witnesses and victims, legal support for vulnerable and displaced persons, and institutional reforms aimed at preventing impunity and a repeat of the attacks.

“Peace without justice is fragile, and justice without accountability is incomplete,” the NBA added.

The statement was signed by the Chairman of the NBA Jos Branch, Morgan I. Dung; Chairman of the Pankshin Branch, Selven D. Zingman; Chairman of the Bukuru Branch, Lucy Pam-Fom Bot; and Chairman of the Shendam Branch, Sylvia Kumtong.

The NBA warned that the recurring attacks had raised serious constitutional and governance concerns, stressing that every Nigerian has a right to life and security.

It said, “when these rights are not guaranteed, public confidence erodes, national cohesion weakens, and the rule of law is undermined”.