The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is facing significant challenges following the Christmas Eve massacre of Plateau State indigenes, where over 200 people were killed by gunmen in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas. The attacks, part of ongoing violence in the state, have prompted calls for the deployment of military forces to address the security crisis.
The conflict in Plateau State is attributed to tensions over land occupation, particularly involving Fulani herders, leading to the forceful occupation and renaming of indigenous communities. Various individuals and groups, including former Governor Jonah Jang and socio-cultural organizations, have appealed to the Federal Government to intervene and end the land occupation by foreign herders.
The recent incident involved terrorists attacking villages, resulting in casualties, property destruction, and displacement of residents. There are appeals for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Plateau State, with some emphasizing the need to address the underlying resource-based conflict rather than framing it solely as a religious or ethnic issue.
The suggestion is to bring together conflicting parties for open dialogue and equitable resource distribution to address the root cause of the crisis. Some voices caution against relying solely on a military solution, emphasizing the importance of addressing social problems to prevent further escalation. Additionally, a constitutional lawyer and rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, suggests that if security has broken down in a local government area, a state of emergency might be declared with a sole administrator taking over the role of the chairman for restoration of normalcy.
