`Plateau Massacre: The recent brutal attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State that killed around 100 innocent civilians highlight the alarming breakdown of security and peace in the state. As the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) statement makes clear, these massacres are devastating but also part of a wider pattern of violence plaguing northern Nigeria.
Despite the Nigerian military’s claims of responding promptly to numerous distress calls in Plateau State prior to the holiday, they demonstrably failed to prevent wholesale slaughter. This raises grave concerns about the effectiveness of the government’s security strategies and the deployment of forces meant to protect vulnerable communities.
The NEF rightly questions whether the current approaches are fundamentally flawed given the seeming ease with which armed militias continue carrying out coordinated assaults and displacing thousands across the north. The lack of accountability for this failure to secure the peace further undermines trust in institutions meant to keep citizens safe.
Possible factors contributing to the violence include inter-communal tensions, criminal gangs, and the ongoing aftershocks of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, ultimately, the Nigerian state holds responsibility for upholding stability and the rule of law within its borders.
Moving forward requires systematically investigating the roots of the conflicts through impartial inquiries not colored by political or sectarian interests. Recommendations from past unimplemented reports could aid these efforts.
Likewise, security sector reforms focused on community-oriented policing and intelligence gathering may help rebuild confidence. Regional cooperation across ethnic and religious lines is equally vital for reconciling divisions the attackers exploit.
Plateau Massacre: With lives at stake, the response must match the urgency of the situation. Only by acknowledging and addressing failings can the crisis afflicting Plateau State and the wider north begin to turn around. The people deserve responsive governance that prioritizes their protection.