The Christmas Eve massacre of Plateau State indigenes has placed a heavy burden on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, concerned Nigerians say.

WORLD WIDE GIST recalls that over 200 people were killed by marauding gunmen in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the state on Christmas Eve.

The terrorists invaded about 20 communities, destroying properties and killing natives.

At least two persons were also killed in a renewed attack by assailants in Durbi village of Shere district, Jos East Local Government area, late Saturday night, barely one week after the first attack.

The continuous attacks and killings in the state has brought to the fore the need for the president to order military formations situated around flashpoints in the state.

The crisis in Plateau State is not unconnected to Fulani herders allegedly trying to claim some areas.

Recently, the Berom and Irigwe natives had cried out over the forceful occupation and renaming of their communities.

A former governor of the State, Jonah Jang, Senator Istifanus Gyang who was a former member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba, all Berom socio-cultural groups, especially its umbrella body, Berom Educational and Cultural Organization, BECO and the Irigwes of Bassa Local Government Area, had appealed that the Federal Government should end land occupation by foreign herders.

The Beroms pointed out some of the communities attacked since 2001 to include “Rotchun (aka Rafin Acha), Dankum (renamed “Mahanga”), Hywa (renamed “Lugere”), Fass (renamed “Tafawa”), Davwak, Chwelnyap, Lyoho Dakar, Angwan Dalyop, Janda, Darin, Shong I, Shong II; Rakweng; Dashugu; Diyan-Hei; Maseh (renamed “Lugel”), Kampwas, Kasa, Zere, Ninja-Hei, Sei, Nicha, Pwabeduk, Hyai, Kufang, Sharu, Dogo, Ningon, Rantis, Angio, Kachin, Shonong, Rahol-Mazat, Chikogo, Ranchol, Nangam, Kak, Dajak, Rarin, Kujei, Attakar, Nantwa and some parts of Bisichi, Kai, Rahol, Luk-Fei, Mallel, Bel, Rahei, Zim, Jong, Rabuk, Lobiring and Gwara Dadep.

To date, natives of these communities have integrated themselves into safer communities and cannot return home, they lamented.

But recounting the latest incident, the assistant youth leader of Maiyanga community in Bokkos Local Government Area, Jeff Mato, said hundreds of terrorists surrounded the neighbouring village of Darwat Hurun at about 5pm on Christmas eve ahead of the attack.

He said: “Before we knew what was happening, they (attackers) started coming toward my village, Maiyanga, to also attack us.

“By that time we were trying to see how we could repel the attack because there were no security personnel on sight, the terrorists struck our village.”

Mato said the terrorists killed 17 persons in Darwat Hurun and nine in Maiyanga, adding that they burnt down over 100 houses, several motorcycles, livestock and made away with a large quantity of food stuff harvested.

Mato recalled that he and many others managed to escape to tell the story.

In trying to find a lasting solution to the crisis, the Arewa Consultative Forum National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Buba, urged President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Plateau State

Affirming the call, an Abuja-based communication strategist, Murkthar Suleiman, said while a state of emergency should be declared in Plateau State, the government should address the issue of resource problem ravaging the state.

Speaking with WORLD WIDE GIST, Mukhtar said: “I think a state of emergency should be declared in Plateau State.

“However, we need to look at the issues a little bit more critically. I think we have been barking up the wrong tree in our attempt to solve that problem. The issue in Plateau State is not a religious conflict and this is where a lot of Nigerians are getting it wrong.

“The issue in Plateau State is a resource-based conflict, sometimes, just because two sides fight while one predominantly belongs to one religion does not mean religions are at war. It’s a resource conflict they are having.

“Some other states in Nigeria are having the same issues. Ijaws and Itsekiris are at loggerheads in Delta, Idomas and Tivs are at loggerheads in Benue, Igalas and Igbiras are against each other in Kogi State.

“The government needs to look at this more critically and bring all parties together and remove religion while handling the issue of resources because it’s land ownership that is the conflict, they are talking about who owns the state, region; some people consider other people as settlers in their own homes, so that issue needs to be sorted out.

“So if the government decides to declare a state of emergency, then it should look at the root cause, they should look at how the resources can be equitably shared among the warring factions. It’s easy to call it a religious crisis because it fits into our political nuances but that’s not the issue.”

On how to resolve the crisis, Suleiman warned against proffering a military solution to the social crisis, stressing that it would further degenerate the problem.

He said: “You can’t proffer a military solution to a social problem because it will degenerate.

“Look at Borno State, why did the state escalate to what it is today? There was a social problem, but it was not handled; they just threw in the military and it escalated.

“In 2020, when we did research with UNDP, we found out that out of 5,000 Boko Haram members that were sampled, only 9.27 percent said they joined Boko Haram due to religion. That is less than one in every 10 Boko Haram members.

“Most of them said they joined because of grievances they had against how the matter was handled when it started. Some of their sisters were killed, raped, and this was because we threw a military solution to a social problem.

“We need to find a way that gives room to open dialogue and equitable distribution of resources, so those who feel they have been cheated of their lands by settlers should be addressed with the rehabilitation of the minority group into the majority group. If you trace the history of Jos crisis, it’s a resource problem.”

He added: “I will refer you to TY Danjuma where he alleged collusion on the part of the military. The truth of the matter is that the military and security agencies know those behind these killings.

“The only way to solve this is for the military to come clean and ensure the critical stakeholders are brought to book. It’s like oil bunkery, and we all know those behind oil bunkering in Nigeria. The security agencies are complementary to getting their percentage, that is why they can’t go after them.”

On his part, a constitutional lawyer and rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, said a state of emergency should be declared in the affected local government area with a sole administrator taking over the role of the chairman.

He told WORLD WIDE GIST: “If security has broken down completely in a state, then a state of emergency might be declared.

“However, if security has not broken down to the level where the state is no longer governable then a state of emergency can’t be declared. Such a declaration has to be guided by the provisions of the constitution.

“We have gone beyond the era of Obasanjo where one man was behaving like a God, where he would remove somebody because he does not like him or his party affiliation.

“If security has broken down in a local government, then you can remove the chairman and put a sole administrator there, that is a military man to restore normalcy. But if the insecurity is such that it affects the entire state then the president can declare a state of emergence