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 16TH
MARCH, 2017
Arising from a dialogue and
combined consultative meeting of Religious and Ethnic/Community leaders held on
Thursday, 16th 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)
