Plateau State Gov. Caleb Mutfwang has called for calm among residents of Angwan-Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area, LGA, following the Sunday night attack.
Mutfwang made the call when he visited the scene of the attack on Monday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that gunmen on Sunday night invaded the community in a commando-style attack, leaving dozens dead and some injured.
The governor, who called on the residents not to take the law into their hands, acknowledged the pain from the tragic incident incident, and also assured them that the situation was under control and being monitored by security agents.
“This is a painful thing for all of us, Angwan- Rukuba is a community that harbors every ethnic nationality in Plateau, I personally have relations that have lived in Angwan- Rukuba, therefore this is a pain to all of us.
“It is not just to a few people, I want to plead with you; please let us not take the laws into our hands, I beg you.
By the grace of God, all these people will be given a decent burial. We will not allow any mass burial.
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“We will make sure that we liaison with the families and give them a decent burial, they didn’t deserve to die like this, therefore, all that the families will require us to do, we will do it.
“As for those that are in hospitals, I want you to know that the government will take full responsibility for their medical bills, I am pleading with you, continue to trust us.
“Even the president is aware of this matter, we will follow it through and make sure that we get justice for the victims by the grace of God.
“Please, I plead with you, leaders, please, I beg you, young people, let us not take the laws into our hands, I beg you. In the heat of your anger, please calm down. “God will help us to address the issues around it; may God comfort all of us,” Mutfwang said.
Meanwhile, the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives, PIDAN, has condemned the gruesome attack by terrorists on the community of Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area.
A statement by Amb. Danjuma Nanpon Shani and Danjuma Dickson Auta, president and secretary general of PIDAN respectively reads:
“These killings are barbaric, unprovoked, and a direct assault on the peace and security of Plateau State.
“The continuous killings of Plateau people by these criminal militias are no longer acceptable. We once again implore the government and security agencies to take immediate action to tame these killers. The patience of the people of Plateau has reached its zenith and our people will have no option but to take definitive action to defend ourselves
“We cannot continue to fold our arms while the blood of our innocent and harmless people flows in our streets, at the hands of these enemies of peace. We therefore call on the Federal Government and State Government as well as all security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous attack and immediately bring them to to justice.
“Meanwhile, we commend Governor Caleb Mutfwang for taking immediate steps to visit the area of the attack and commiserate with the victims, their families and community at large.
PIDAN extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the entire Angwan Rukuba community and plateau state at large.”
NAN
