Christian Association of Nigeria CAN in Plateau State has called at
government at all levels ,security operatives elders and stakeholders in
Jos and its environs to intensify efforts to ensure that all members of
the group Sara Suka are apprehended to stop the group from spreading
its activities to other parts of the state .
State chairman of CAN in Plateau state Soja Bewarang in a statement
made available to newsmen in Jos on Thursday reads that ” It is with
strong dismay that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Plateau
State received the shocking news of attacks on motorists, pedestrians
and vehicles by a gang called Sara-Suka in Jos North on Monday 18th
June, 2018, at a time the state is enjoying the remaining Eid-el Fitr
break declared by the Federal Government to enable Muslims in Nigeria
celebrate the end of Ramadan. ”
“CAN commiserates with those that sustained injuries in the attack,
and those whose vehicles were smashed, and also commend the Plateau
State Government for its swift intervention, the Nigerian Police for
apprehending 33 members of the gang and the Plateau State House of
Assembly, for setting up a committee to investigate the unfortunate
incident. ”
“CAN is seriously concerned that the so much efforts being deployed
by the Plateau State Government for the restoration of peace in the
state, could be further jeopardized if thugs are raised and allowed to
be bred in the form of Sara-Suka. ”
“We knew Sara-Suka to be a group of political thugs raised and bred
in Bauchi State by a previous administration in that state for the
purpose of winning elections, and has caused a great havoc to the state
before its disbandment. We later heard that the group resurfaced in Jos,
Plateau State capital. And having been dealt with by the security, we
thought it was gone, but we were proven wrong by its recent nefarious
activities exhibited on Monday. ”
“We are calling on the State Government, elders and stakeholders in
Jos and its environs to intensify efforts to ensure that all members of
the group are apprehended to stop it from spreading to other parts of
the metropolis especially now that we are drawing closer to 2019 general
elections, in order not to allow anyone defranchize the citizen from
exercising their civil rights of voting people of their choice, plunge
the state in needless bloodbath and wanton destruction of properties and
the return of the callous mutual distrust and religious badblood which
had bedivelled the state for long. ”
“We are also calling on the politicians to play clean politics and to
avoid raising thugs to terrorise the citizens as a means of winning
elections. ”
In the same vein, CAN condemned the recent skirmish in Bassa Local Government between farmers versus herders.
We appeal to the state Government to redouble its efforts in
restoring peace in Bassa by setting up a panel of inquiry to look deeply
into the recurring problems leading to crises in some parts of the
local government.
We wish to suggest also that there should be regular meetings between
elders, stakeholders, leaders of communities and government for updates
on the security situations and for enhancing peace in Bassa.
CAN calls on all citizens of the state to work towards enthroning an
enduring peace in the state by complementing the efforts of government
as government alone, cannot bring the desired peace.