Coordinator of the group, Morgan Pam, addressing newsmen st the Bishop Court on Thursday in Jos
A civil society group in Plateau State has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those behind the recent killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, while warning against any move to impose a state of emergency in the state.
The Plateau Progressive Minds for Positive Development made the call on Thursday in Jos, saying failure to bring perpetrators to justice could further erode public confidence and embolden criminal elements operating across communities.
The group’s position follows the Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba, which left several residents dead and injured in what it described as a heinous act carried out by unknown gunmen.
Addressing journalists at Bishop Court in Jos, the Coordinator, Morgan Pam, condemned the killings and sympathised with victims, noting that the restraint shown by residents in the aftermath had helped to prevent further escalation of violence.
He said security agencies must rise to their constitutional responsibility by ensuring that both perpetrators and their sponsors are identified and prosecuted, stressing that justice remains critical to deterring future attacks and restoring confidence among citizens.
He said, “We condemn in the strongest terms, the recent killings of innocent citizens in Angwan Rukuba Jos North LGA on Palm Sunday by unknown gunmen. We register our heartfelt sympathy to the victims of this heinous crime and commend the Angwa Rukuba community for a show of civility by refusing to take law into their hands by way of reprisal attack.
“We therefore call on the security agencies to live up to their constitutional obligation to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act and their sponsors are arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent and instill confidence in the minds of citizens.”
The group also acknowledged steps taken by the Plateau State Government under Governor Caleb Mutfwang, particularly the imposition of a 48-hour curfew in Jos North and efforts to strengthen security presence to contain the situation.
However, it raised concerns over what it described as a dangerous agenda by certain actors seeking to exploit the crisis to push for emergency rule in the state.
According to the group, there are indications that sponsors of violence may be working to make Plateau ungovernable in order to justify extraordinary federal intervention, a move it warned could worsen the situation rather than resolve it.
“It has been said that the motive and intention of the sponsors and perpetrators of these heinous acts is to make the state ungovernable with the declaration of a state of emergency as the only option.
” Gentlemen of the press, this to our mind is unnecessary and dangerous bearing in mind that the previous emergency rule in the state in 2004 only saw the transformation of a political crisis into deeper governance failures. In this regard, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu take note of the antics of these anti democrats and enemies of Plateau State”.
The group expressed hope that the President’s visit to Jos would provide firsthand insight into the realities on ground and help counter what it termed misleading narratives surrounding the state’s security situation.
It maintained that sustainable peace in Plateau can only be achieved through accountability, inclusive governance and continued collaboration between communities and security agencies, while urging residents, particularly youths, to shun violence and embrace peacebuilding efforts.
