Defend Yourself against Killers, Bishop Adeoye Tells Plateau Indigenes

•Senator condemns attacks, proffers solution 

•Two policemen injured in FCT attack

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja, Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Lead Bishop of Worldwide Anglican Church (WAC) in Nigeria, Bishop Seun Adeoye, has charged Plateau indigenes to start defending themselves against their killers.

He condemned the Christmas day killings in the state, describing the videos shared from the attack scenes as horrible.

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity and Senator representing Plateau Central, Senator Diket Plang, has condemned incessant attacks on communities in the state, calling on Nigerians to be more united in tackling the crisis.

Meanwhile, a latest bandit attack on Garam and Zuma communities in Bwari Area council in the Federal Capital Territory, has left two policemen with injuries and unspecified number of residents kidnapped.

However, Bishop Adeoye, in his New Year Message released in Osogbo, Osun State, titled: “Never fold your arms again” said it was pathetic that people would be slaughtered like chickens in their fathers land and security agencies were nowhere to be found.

The General Overseer of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministries and the Spokesman of World Bishops’ Council (WBC) in Africa while condoling with the victims, urged the survivors to henceforth defend themselves.

“Never fold your arms and allow agents of Satan destroy you, your wives and your children. Please, rise up and fight back against these murderers.

“Plateau State killings, just like Benue and Kaduna States didn’t just begin, they have been occurring over the years. So, why did these continue?

“If these dastardly acts cannot be nipped in the bud by security agencies and if the government has failed its duty to protect the victims, what then did you expect the people to do?

“The options left to them is either to relocate from their fatherland and take refuge in other places or rise to the challenge by defending their wives and children.

“We have right to live and I have never read any portion of the Nigerian constitution where self-defence is an offence or read it anywhere in the Bible where self-defence is forbidden.

“The duty of government is to protect lives and property but Bola Tinubu’s presidency has failed in all of these? Nigeria didn’t need an armchair president trolling markets, hosting friends and wining and dining when a calamity of such magnitude befell a nation.

“What’s the Nigerian police policing? What’s the territory Nigerian Army say they are protecting? Who has been held to account for these heinous acts? This situation is sad and shameful,” he said.

On his part, Plang, while  addressing newsmen in Jos, proffered solutions to the problem, calling on the federal government to look into Plateau/Nasarawa and Plateau/Bauchi borders where he alleged the criminals pass through to wreak havoc in Plateau State.

Plang commended the Tinubu-led administration for the swift response to the attack by immediately deploying security agents to the affected communities and sending delegations to the state.

He said if the crisis was tackled with a collective approach as a nation without sentiments, much could be achieved.

“If we’re all on the same page, there’s nothing we cannot achieve. On the floor of the Senate, Senator Ningi of Hausa/Fulani extraction openly condemned the attack and suggested ways to tackle it.

“Senator Adams Oshiomhole also demanded that the Service Chiefs be invited to the Senate to answer questions on the attacks. That’s how to be collective in tackling our challenges. You could see that both Christians and Muslims joined in condemning the crime.

“I want to think that we need to be more nationalistic in resolving the Plateau crisis. I’m saying so because, at the end of the day, most of the crises on the Plateau end up either being given a religious or ethnic coloration.

“And sometimes when a commission is set up, you will find some level of distrust about the commission. My prayer this time around is that the resolution that will be made, should be nationalistic.”

Meanwhile, two police officers were allegedly injured during fierce gun duel with bandits yesterday at a community with the federal capital territory.

The attack, which occurred yesterday was the fifth in the series since the undesirable elements struck Garam, Niger State, a boundary community with Bwari FCT.

Garam, which is contiguous to Kuduru, another troubled community in Bwari Area Council of the FCT, has experienced perennial attacks from bandits since December 24, 2023.

The latest onslaught forced many fear-striken residents to relocate in droves to safer parts of the FCT.

An onslaught on Garam during the Yuletide had led to the killing of four persons, including a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and the abduction of more than 50 persons. The Pastor was said to have been killed in the presence of his family.

It was gathered that the bandits had infiltrated Garam before New Year’s eve, forcing many residents to jettison the crossover services.

Due to security concerns, most churches in the area did not observe crossover service on December 31 into the New Year, while those that did observed the service between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.