A short statement released on Whatsapp by the Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yakubu Dati, said the Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Nigeria, David Young, made the demand during a courtesy call on Governor Simon Lalong in the Government House, Jos.
He said, “The Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Nigeria also called for punishment for those arrested in connection with the killings and insisted that they must be made to face the music. He said the US Embassy valued her partnership with the Plateau State Government.
“Earlier, Young had commended Lalong for nipping in the bud the unfortunate destruction of lives and property which minimised the casualty during the crises that rocked some parts of Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South Local Government Areas.”
In his response, Lalong stated that despite the recent disruption of peace in some parts of Plateau North Senatorial District, the state “still remains the Home of Peace and Tourism.”
The governor thanked the United States Embassy in Nigeria for collaborating with the Plateau State Peace Building Agency to hold a stakeholders’ meeting in the troubled zone.
He gave the assurance that the Plateau State Government would “ensure that perpetrators of this mayhem are brought to book according to the law.”
Meanwhile, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has met with a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), over the killings in parts of the country.
Those at the meeting included a Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark, and Yoruba leaders, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Olu Falae.
They sought Danjuma’s support to proffer a solution to the carnage in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Adamawa and other states.
Addressing journalists after the meeting which held at Danjuma’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja on Monday, the President-General of Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, disclosed that the forum and Danjuma had resolved to embark on advocacy visits to all the political and civil leaders in all the geo-political zones in order to stop the bloodshed.
He explained that the former CAS had agreed to lend his voice and reach out to other eminent persons to proffer solutions to the killings.
He noted that the advocacy against the current situation had become imperative to prevent the nation from sliding into anarchy and instability.
The Ndigbo leader pointed out that there was no strong political direction towards a solution to the killings, adding that the SMBLF decided to collaborate with all eminent persons in the country to use their influence to end the ongoing carnage.
“General T.Y. Danjuma is an elder statesman and a non-partisan politician; he is retired from both political and civil service obligations but he remains a very strong neutral voice in our country and the Armageddon that has befallen us, given the quantum of bloodshed that we witness on a daily basis and the lack of strong political direction regarding the solution.
“We had a very useful discussion and as a father, he has promised that he will do everything within his power to ensure that he continues to be a voice of reason and a voice of reconciliation. He has promised to be a voice of advocacy for the correct path to follow in our polity,” Nwodo explained.
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