Following the recent killings in Plateau State this week in Mangu and
Kwatas villages in Bokos Local Council of Plateau State, which have
claimed more than 20 lives and property, corps members in fulfilment of
the tenets of Social Development Goals (SDGs) stormed the streets of Jos
to sensitise people on the need to embrace peaceful living.
A resident of Kwatas Village, Adamu Hardo, said that the violence,
which allegedly claimed 13 lives with five injured, began on Sunday
afternoon when unknown gunmen shot at some youths at a joint where they
were drinking a local brew known as Burukutu.
He said that provoked angry youths in the community into reprisal attacks targeted at Fulani communities in the area.
Kwatas is a neighbouring community to the Plateau State University, Bokkos.
President of the SDGs, CDS group, Bawa Ibrahim, said: “The awareness
we are creating is tagged “The labour of our heroes past. If the people
of Plateau State are united, the labours of our heroes past will never
be in vain. I want the people to embrace peace because peace is the
ultimate. I will advise the government to continue to promote peace and
uphold the rule of law.”
Also, a corps member serving in University of Jos, Adewuyi Adewale,
affirmed that although corps members in the state had been enjoying
maximum security but there is need to extend it to the people of the
state which could only be achieved through unity and
peacefully-co-existence among rural dwellers.
“The people of Plateau State should embrace peace and have it in mind that peace is the only way we can stand together.
“The state has been known to be the home of peace and tourism except
for some few cases which have been under control. We have enjoyed the
peace here and we want all the people of Plateau to embrace the peace,
which the government has been trying to sustain,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state Co-ordinator, National Youth Service Corps
(NYSC), Mrs. Caroline W. Embu, has encouraged all dwellers in Plateau
State to avoid tribal, cultural and religious crisis for safety of the
future generations.
She also advised prospective corps members who would be mobilised by
the scheme in March this year for the one-year mandatory service to the
country to avoid misgivings about coming to serve in Plateau State.
“The security operatives and the government are on top of this.
Though pockets of crises may come up from time to time, like boundary
clashes, but we try as much as possible not to post corps members to
violent areas.”
“We keep telling corps members that they are their first security
officer. You must first secure yourself before anyone secures you. We
hardly have any state not faced with security challenges.”
Wherever you go in Plateau State, you need to be security conscious.
Do not stay out late, do not stay alone, do not mix with people you do
not know,” she said.