Leadership of Jahr Patriotic Forum addressing the press in Jos
By CHRISTIANA LOT, Jos –
The Jahr Patriotic Forum has distanced itself from a recent letter addressed to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang over insecurity in Kanam Local Government Area, describing its language as offensive, misleading, and unrepresentative of the Jahr people.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the NUJ Press Centre in Jos, former Chairman of Kanam Local Government Area, Dr. Dayyabu Garga, who spoke on behalf of the Forum, said the letter purportedly written in the name of the Jahr people was not only reckless in tone but also politically motivated.
He also cited specific phrases in the letter which the Forum found objectionable.
He stated, “We are not contesting the intent of the letter, but we are flabbergasted by the language employed in expressing its message. The Jahr people are known to be humble, polite, and level-headed, and would ordinarily portray such in all presentations, expressions, and advocacies.
“We are, therefore, embarrassed to see a letter addressed to the Chief Executive of the State, loaded with ultimatums, insults, intimidation, and threats.”
“How can anyone claim, ‘We are no longer needed in Plateau State’? That is a political statement that must have originated from somewhere. The authors have no evidence, oral or written, suggesting that the Jahr people are not needed in Plateau State. We have been an integral part of this state since pre-colonial times, and at no point has any government or authority ever threatened to expel us or disenfranchise us.”
He continued: “It is also not true that the Governor has ignored our security challenges. To say that ‘all through your statements, speeches and interviews there has never been a moment that you mentioned the issue of insecurity in Jahr Chiefdom’ is a blatant lie. This statement is intended to belittle the Governor, who has been proactive and committed in ensuring the security and well-being of all parts of the state. No Governor in North-Central Nigeria has demonstrated as much energy and resourcefulness in containing terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, herdsmen attacks, and other associated crimes as Governor Caleb Mutfwang.”
He described the tone of the letter as an “invitation to mass action” and warned the authors to stop heating up the polity.
“What leadership does the caretaker committee of the Jahr Development Association intend to provide to the Jahr community?” he asked. “We are law-abiding, enlightened, and God-fearing people. We thus caution the caretaker committee to desist henceforth from inciting the people against the government.”
The Forum called on the Ra’an Jahr, the traditional ruler and Grand Patron of the Jahr Development Association, to immediately dissolve the current caretaker committee, which it said had overstayed its welcome, and set up a new one with a defined timeline to conduct elections into various offices.
“In view of the fact that the current caretaker committee of the Jahr Development Association has overstayed its welcome,” he said, “we call on our Royal Father, the Ra’an Jahr, to dissolve the caretaker committee with immediate effect and constitute a new one with a definite timeframe to conduct elections.”
Despite the grievances, the Forum reaffirmed its support for the Plateau State Government and acknowledged the ongoing insecurity across parts of the state.
“We appreciate the Governor’s efforts in tackling terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, and all forms of criminality. But like Oliver Twist, we beg for more since it appears that the more efforts are made, the greater the intensity of attacks and destruction.”
“We pledge our loyalty and support to the Government of Plateau State and will continue to provide information and other necessary logistics required to actualize the government’s goals and objectives,” he added.
