Terrorists attacking Plateau communities observing curfew, NBA alleges - Punch Newspapers

The Nigerian Bar Association in Plateau State has alleged that terrorists are openly attacking communities observing government-imposed curfews amid renewed killings in the state. The four branches of the NBA in the state, comprising Jos, Pankshin, Bukuru and Shendam, raised the alarm on Monday at a joint press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat, Jos. The chairmen of the four branches are Morgan Dung, Jos; Selven Zingman, Pankshin; Lucy Pam-Fom Bot, Bukuru; and Sylvia Kumtong, Shendam. The text of the press conference was read by the Chairman, NBA Jos Branch, Morgan Dung. The association said the continued killings in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos Local Government Areas had exposed the failure of government to protect lives and property. The chairman said, “One of the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy is the responsibility of government to guarantee the observance of fundamental rights as captured under Chapter Four of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. “Section 33 of the Constitution states that every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in the execution of a court order in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria. “It therefore suffices to say that the protection of lives and property is the most fundamental responsibility of government, and the NBA frowns at the inability of government to prevent the continuous loss of lives and property in Nigeria and in Plateau State,” the NBA said.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google The lawyers specifically condemned what they described as gruesome and sustained attacks on citizens. “The Nigerian Bar Association condemns, in the strongest terms, the gruesome and sustained attacks carried out on citizens on a daily basis across Plateau State, with the most recent occurring in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos Local Government Areas of the state, which have left in their trail undesirable results,” the statement read. The NBA said it was disturbing that terrorists had disregarded the curfew imposed by the government to attack law-abiding citizens. “It is equally disturbing that, in the wake of recent attacks and an imposition of curfew in the areas mentioned above, terrorists disrespected the curfew and freely attacked communities obeying the order. “While communities are encouraged to be vigilant and complement the efforts of the security agencies, some community vigilantes in Kikyo village in Mangu Local Government Area were killed at their duty post by terrorists during the said curfew hours. “Similarly, ugly developments have been reported in Cantoma and Bin-Per villages in Mangu Local Government Area, as well as Kasa village, which is in Marit District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. “This is an invitation to total anarchy and complete breakdown of law and order,” the association said. NBA president begins reconciliation efforts to unite Bar CAN demands rescue of abducted Borno schoolchildren CAN demands rescue of Borno schoolchildren, others in captivity The NBA warned that the unabated violence had created a sense of impunity and eroded public confidence. “When perpetrators of violence transact their stock in trade unabated and sometimes evade justice, this sends a dangerous message that human life is expendable in Nigeria and, consequently, citizens are fast losing faith in the ability of the state to protect them,” it said. It also lamented that some communities had been completely sacked, with their lands allegedly grabbed, occupied and renamed, while survivors remained displaced. The association commended President Bola Tinubu for visiting Plateau to condole with victims of the Jos North killings and for his push for state police and citizen security training, but called on the Federal Government to go further. It demanded the sponsorship of an Executive Bill to domicile security under the Concurrent Legislative List to give governors effective control over security operations, adequate motivation and equipping of security agencies to check allegations of bias, strengthening of border surveillance, and degazetting of forests around Pa’ I River Game Reserve, which it said served as a hideout for bandits. The NBA also listed Garga community in Kanam LGA, which shares boundaries with Bauchi and Taraba, as one of the communities suffering from banditry, alleging an influx of Fulani militia from Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and the Republic of Niger. On Plateau State Government efforts, the NBA commended the revamping of Operation Rainbow, training of 2,000 Neighbourhood Watch members and hunters, provision of gun trucks and establishment of a command and control centre. It, however, asked the state to license Operation Rainbow and Neighbourhood Watch to operate kinetic facilities, amend its law, implement the Anti-Land Grabbing Law and provide structures for police divisions. The association also called on local government chairmen to be resident in their domains, urged communities to coordinate intelligence and exercise lawful self-defence, and asked traditional rulers to monitor the influx of unidentified persons. For security agencies, it demanded the immediate relocation of combat vehicles to flashpoints, control of the distribution of military wares and prosecution of impersonators, investigation of late responses to attacks and frequent redeployment of long-serving personnel. On justice delivery, the NBA called for time-bound trials of terrorism cases, sanctioning of lawyers who aid delays, signing of death warrants of convicted terrorists by governors and public disclosure of trials of terrorism sponsors. It added: “As of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, the 26th day of September 2026, six persons were confirmed dead at Laja Village in Marin District, leaving you with 964 votes,” referring to the recent City Boy campaign launch in Jos targeting one million votes for President Tinubu in 2027. “Mr. President, if these killings continue unabated, chances are that there may be no single Nigerian left to cast a vote in 2027. Campaign promises and government policies, no matter how beautifully crafted, can only be fulfilled when citizens are alive to benefit from them,” the NBA warned. James Abraham

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