PLEASE, STOP THE CIRCLE OF KILLINGS – AN APPEAL TO THE FULANI AND IRIGWE OF BASSA LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PLATEAU STATE.

The Catholic Archbishop of Jos and Founder of the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Most Rev (Dr.) Ignatius Kaigama has condemned in strong terms the recent attacks and killings in Bassa Local Government of Plateau State, calling on the Presidency must show more concern and active interest in investigating the unfolding events and to intervene effectively. 

Archbishop kaigama who lent his voice of condemnation said "while the attacks are perhaps, as a result of bottled-up anger, unresolved social issues or ethnic chauvinism which have led to utter disrespect for the sacredness of human lives, we Nigerians must find better ways of venting our anger." 

He stated that it is so worrisome that despite the presence of security agents people could still be killed in a primary school where they took refuge, even during the hours of a curfew imposed on the Local Government. He called on government to ensure that evil doers should not go unpunished and necessary security lapses should be rectified.

He also appealed to our brothers and sisters, the Irigwe and the Fulani,  to please give peace a chance. "Your losses may be enormous, but once there is life, there is hope."

Find below the full text of the Press Release: 

PRESS RELEASE

PLEASE, STOP THE CIRCLE OF KILLINGS – AN APPEAL TO THE FULANI AND IRIGWE OF BASSA LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PLATEAU STATE.

 BY MOST REV. IGNATIUS A. KAIGAMA. CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF JOS AND PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA.

For over two years now, Plateau State has enjoyed happy and peaceful coexistence, giving birth to greater confidence and trust to its citizens and visitors alike that only the best will henceforth happen in the State. This peace has unfortunately been rudely interrupted by the outburst of recent killings in Bassa Local Government between the Fulani and the Irigwe. The attacks come on the heels of a national spiritual gathering of Catholics all over Nigeria in Benin City to re-consecrate our dear country to the Blessed Virgin Mother and pray for peace, unity and reconciliation among Nigerians. The occasion marked the conclusion of the centenary of the apparitions of the Blessed Mother in Fatima in 1917, when the world was experiencing the terrible effects of the First World War. While the attacks are perhaps, as a result of bottled-up anger, unresolved social issues or ethnic chauvinism which have led to utter disrespect for the sacredness of human lives, we Nigerians must find better ways of venting our anger.

An attempt by the Governor of Plateau State Barr. Simon Bako  Lalong, to inspire reconciliation and mutual forgiveness was not successfully implemented by the parties concerned. It is however still not too late. It is better late than never.

It is a fact that many Fulani speak the Irigwe language and many Irigwe speak the Fulani language which goes to show the long period of peaceful coexistence, but the events of the past week indicate that the peaceful, harmonious and fraternal coexistence has been severely wounded. The two tribes offering the olive branch to each other is what can restore normalcy, healing, trust and confidence. The burial on Monday 16th October in Nkiedonwhro of 29 persons shows that a lot more needs to be done by both tribes to face their collective future with greater optimism.

 

Our thoughts go to all those affected, with fervent prayers that God will grant them all the needed consolation and the ability to say “never again” to the destruction of human lives, animal lives, farm produce, houses and all others means of livelihood. May the dead rest in peace.

I pray that the long and intense security meetings by the Governor, security officials and stakeholders will bear the necessary fruits of peace. It is so worrisome that despite the presence of security agents people could still be killed in a primary school where they took refuge, even during the hours of a curfew imposed on the Local Government! How much of this is politics or how much is influenced by internal or external sponsors or complicity of certain individuals who should help but keep fanning the flame of violence needs to be investigated. The Presidency must show more concern and active interest in investigating the unfolding events and to intervene effectively. The evil doers should not go unpunished and necessary security lapses should be rectified.

To our dear brothers and sisters the Irigwe and the Fulani, please give peace a chance. Your losses may be enormous, but once there is life, there is hope.

Signed: 

 +I.A Kaigama 

Key Religious and Community Leaders Condemn Spate of Hate Speech Across the Country

Religious and Community Leaders in Jos, the Plateau State Capital have condemned the rising spate of hate speech across the country, calling on their followers to shun provocative actions and comments that are capable of causing disunity in the country.
Speaking at a quarterly Dialogue and Consultative meeting held at the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Jos on Thursday 15th June 2017, the leaders called on Christian and Muslim clerics as well as community leaders to use their pulpits and good offices to douse the rising tension across the country while insisting that Nigeria is greater together as a nation.

In a community issued at the end of the meeting which had in attendance Key religious and community leaders as well as members of the security agencies and other organized religious, cultural and social groups, the leaders called on the government and security agencies to be proactive in arresting and prosecuting persons and groups making inciting statements that can plunge the country into chaos and violence.
Details of the communique reads as follows:

MEETING OF RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC/COMMUNITY LEADERS HELD AT THE DIALOGUE, RECONCILIATION AND PEACE (DREP) CENTRE, KWANG, JOS SOUTH ON THURSDAY 15^TH JUNE, 2017

Arising from a dialogue and combined consultative meeting of Religious and Ethnic/Community leaders held on Thursday, 15^th June 2017, We Religious and Community leaders at the Dialogue, reconciliation and Peace Centre (DREP), Jos, make the following observations:

1.    While we appreciate the continued peaceful coexistence being experienced in Jos town and its environs, we however decry the increasing hate speech among our youth which can cause serious crisis. We therefore, call on our youth to be tolerant and charitable in their speech. We also call on security agencies to prosecute all those who threaten the peace through hate speech. We call on all parents, religious and community leaders to caution their children and followers against making provocative and inciting comments.  

2.    We also appreciate the current peace we are enjoying in Jos town and surrounding but we decry the increasing cases of criminality and lawlessness and urge that they be curtailed. We observe in addition to car and battery stealing, motorcycles still operate in some locations in defiance to the directive by Government banning them. We also observed that tricycles still operate beyond their restricted time and when security agents arrest them, they are alleged to pay bribe and are allowed to continue operating, this has resulted in increased crime and insecurity.

3.    We wish to caution our youth to stop beating the drums of war and also fanning the embers of division that can threaten the peace of the country. Nigeria as a nation cannot afford another civil war. Hence, such comments even when made as a joke must stop forthwith. We wish to reiterate our strong belief in the oneness and unity of Nigeria as its indivisibility is non-negotiable.

4.    We call on citizens to develop the habit of good waste management. We also call on Government agencies such as Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) and Ministries for Urban Development and Health to do more in waste collection and drainage clearing so as to prevent flood and other health hazards. 

5.    We observe that drugs and substance abuse by our youth is on the rise as such illicit drugs and substances are now sold and consumed openly in areas such as Angwan Rukuba, Janta Mangoro, Gada Biyu, Angwan Rogo, Utan, Rukkuba Road, West of mines etc. Security agencies appear either indifferent or are helpless. We therefore, call on the security agencies to wake up to their responsibility of ridding our communities of illegal drugs and substances. We must not forget that drug and substance abuse encourage crime and violence.

6.    We wish to commend the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Nassarawa Police Division and Sector 2 of the Special Task Force (STF) for their effort and collaboration in ridding the surrounding communities of drug addicts and substance abusers as well as other criminals.

7.    We commend elders, leaders and even youths who distance themselves from hate speeches and the clamour for the division of our country. We urge all to work towards a united Nigeria where there is justice for all and equitable distribution of resources among our citizens.

8.    We call on Christian and Muslim clerics and religious leaders to use the pulpit to discourage their faithfuls from making hate speeches that create tension and leads to violence among our citizens.

9.    We call on Fulani herdsmen to avoid grazing their cattle on cultivated farmlands during this farming season to avoid clashes with farmers in our rural areas.

10.Arrested drug addicts and criminals must not be let to go off lightly by security personnel. They should be prosecuted in proportion to their crime so as to discourage others from committing the same crime.

11. We commend the presence and active participation of the Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA) at our meeting. We look forward to the participation of other Government Agencies like the Special Task Force (STF), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies. We strongly believe that their personal presence and contribution will add great value to our interactions.

12. We the religious and community leaders in our dear Plateau State pledge to live peacefully with one another among the ethnic, community and the religious groups, and we renew our loyalty and determination to live as one people in one state under one indivisible nation and God. We also wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a happy and peaceful Sallah celebration.

RELIGIOUS LEADERS                                                                                             

CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT OF NIGERIA (ARCHBISHOP I. A. KAIGAMA)        

CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (BISHOP I K. CHINDO)                 

JAMA’ATU NASRIL ISLAM (JNI) (ALH. YUSUF SARUMI)                                 

EMIR OF WASE (REP. BY MUSTAPHA UMAR GALADIMA)                             

TEKAN/ECWA HQS (THOMAS W. HILDI)                                                         

NACOMYO (MALAM ABDULMAJEED ABDULLLATEEF)                                   

NAWAIRUDEEN JOS (SURAJUDEEN SOYOYE)                                                

COMMUNITY LEADERS                                                                    

BEROM COMMUNITY          (DA. Y. N. DANG)                                           

ANAGUTA COMMUNITY (MATHEW P. SANI)                                             

IGBO COMMUNITY (PROF. J. E. C. OBILOM)                                           

SOLOMON A. OLUGBODI)                                  

YORUBA COMMUNITY (CHIEF TOYE OGUNSHEYI)                                  

SOUTH-SOUTH COMMUNITY (CHIEF. IGNATIUS EMLI)                            

MIYETTI ALLAH (ALH. MUHAMMAD NURU)                                                

DREP BOARD (PAUL GUNAT)                                                                       

ORGANIZATIONS                                                                                              

PLATEAU STATE PEACE BUILDING AGENCY (MR. JOSEPH LENGMANG) 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE SERVICE (DSS) (JUDE BENJAMIN)                       

NIGERIAN SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENSE CORP (NSCDC) (DAJO S. ZAKKA

Religious and Community Leaders condemn the rising spate of criminality and cult activities in Jos city

Religious and Community leaders in Jos have condemned in strong terms the rising spate of criminality and cult activities in Jos city which they attributed to hire rate for drug and substance abuse among our youths.

the leaders who made their views known at a dialogue and consultative meeting held in the Mediation Hall of Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Kwang, Rayfield on Thursday March 16 2017 said the increase in cases of armed robbery and kidnapping can be attributed to the proliferation of arms and light weapons among the youths especially among tertiary school students in the state. They called on security agencies be more proactive in stemming the tides and securing the lives of the people.

In attendance at the meeting were Christian and Muslim religious leaders as well as leaders of ethnic and community groups in the State.

Below is the resolution reached at the end of the meeting:

MEETING OF RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC/COMMUNITY LEADERS HELD AT THE DIALOGUE, RECONCILIATION AND PEACE (DREP) CENTRE, KWANG, JOS SOUTH ON THURSDAY 16^TH MARCH, 2017

Arising from a dialogue and combined consultative meeting of Religious and Ethnic/Community leaders held on Thursday, 16^th March 2017, We Religious and Community leaders at the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace Centre (DREP), Jos, make the following observations:

1.     We appreciate the improved peaceful coexistence being experienced in our communities; we however decry the growing incidences of criminality in Jos and it’s environs especially Apata, Angwan Rukuba, Rikkos, Rukuba Road etc. We wish to reiterate the need for security agents to be present during our meetings so that they can get first hand security updates from our communities for immediate and prompt intervention.

2.     We applaud the peaceful relationship that now exists between the Fulani and their host communities. We note with happiness that the Fulani can now graze freely in Vom, Riyom and Berom land is now generally safe for the Fulani people and their cattle.  This was made possible by our continue dialogue and collaboration. We continue to encourage such dialogue and collaboration among our people.

3.     We commend the proactive response of the state Government in refuting the rumour that the Fulani groups are planning to launch attacks on innocent citizens in the State. We wish to caution citizens from spreading unfounded rumours and reckless use of the social media that could incite and destroy the peaceful coexistence being enjoyed presently by our citizens.

4.     We condemn strongly the growing cases of armed robbery, drugs abuse and substance abuse, occultism and kidnapping within in some parts of Jos town such as Apata, Farin Gada, Rukuba Road (Kabong), Gada Biyu, Museum and West of Mines area. We therefore call on Security Agencies to be proactive in fighting this menace in securing our communities.

5.     We wish to bring to the attention of the Plateau State Government and it’s agencies, the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that have been urged to return to their communities in Ropp and Gashish, but efforts to rebuild their homes are thwarted as materials gathered for reconstruction are destroyed mostly at night. We therefore, call on government and security agents to encourage this process of integration by providing security and assistance to affected people and communities. Intelligent agencies should find out those who are responsible for prosecution.

 

6.     We commend the government for embarking on massive road construction and rehabilitation in some parts of Jos. e.g. Angwan Rogo, West of Mines, Satellite market (Kabong) linking Tudun Wada as this will ease traffic congestion and alleviate the suffering of our people. We encourage Government to continue to initiate pro-people policies and projects.

7.     We commend the Hausa, Funlani, Tarok and Jukun communities and their leaderships for their joint effort in fighting insurgency attack in Zunzukut village in Wase LGA. We call on other communities to emulate the same.

8.     We call on our communities to be vigilant and security conscious about their neighbourhood; knowing their neighbours and what they do for a living. We also encourage them to be vigilant about the crisis in Southern Kaduna due to it’s proximity to our communities so that the conflict does not escalate in to our communities. We also recommend a similar dialogue process by all stakeholders towards ending the conflict in Southern Kaduna.

9.      We call on parents to live up to their parental responsibilities by monitoring the movement and activities of their children and wards. They should also ensure discipline within the family cycle.

10.  We once more discourage farmers from selling their farm produce prematurely or immediately after harvest so as to have enough for family use.

RELIGIOUS LEADERS                                                                                                                    

CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT OF NIGERIA           (ARCHBISHOP I. A. KAIGAMA)

CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (PASTOR AGNES LAGANG)    

JAMA’ATU NASRIL ISLAM (JNI) (ALH. YUSUF SARUMI)

EMIR OF WASE (REP. BY MUSTAPHA UMAR GALADIMA) (GALADIMAN WASE)

NACOMYO (MALAM ABDULMAJEED ABDULLLATEEF)

NAWAIRUDEEN (ALH. IDOWU ADEDIPE)

COMMUNITY LEADERS  

BEROM COMMUNITY (DA. Y. N. DANG)                                                                             

IGBO COMMUNITY (PROF. J. E. C. OBILOM)

YORUBA COMMUNITY (OBA SOLOMON A. OLUGBONI)

MIYETTI ALLAH (ALH. ABDULLAHI ARDO)

SOUTH-SOUTH COMMUNITY          (CHIEF IGNATIUS E.)

DREP BOARD (P. D. GUNAT)

Countering Violent Extremism and De-Radicalization on the Plateau through Peace Education

In contributing to the overall peacebuilding process on the Plateau, Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre has commenced a Peace Education Project targeted at Students and out of school youths for communities in Jos North, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local Government of Plateau State. DREP Centre is aware of the contributions of peace education to the overall growth of children and youths by helping them develop characteristics essential for the attainment of peace.  The project is aimed at countering violent extremism among school and out of school youths by helping them create a sense of dignity and self-worth, a confidence to question their values, communication skills, and ethical awareness and an empathy for others.  

It is hoped that at the end of the project, selected youths from different ethnic and religious groups will

·      Intensify cross-cultural dialogue in their schools and communities

·      Enhance trust and reconciliation in their schools and communitiesBe equipped with dialogue, reconciliation and peacebuilding skills and engage themselves accordingly in their schools and communities.

By finding mutual interactive opportunities through education and training, these youths coexist peacefully with others and work for sustainable peace and development of their societies. Expected results will include:

·      Reducing gaps created by mental and settlement polarization along ethnic and religious lines

·      Reducing prejudice and ignorance of culture and religion among youths

·      Breaking the cycle of violence occasioned by revenge mentality among youths

·      Transforming youths into peace agents in their school and communities.

Sessions will be alternated between youths from schools and their counterparts in the community with the view of eventually bringing them together to share learning and good practices.