The Northern Senators Forum (NOSEF) at the 10th National Assembly has taken a categorically disapproving position against the latest wave of killings in Plateau State, calling it ‘recent tragic incident of mass killing’ in the state. “This brutal act is indefensible, devoid of reason, and stains our shared humanity”, said Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, OFR, the Spokesperson of the forum in a statement available to Intervention.
The spokesperson followed this with an unequivocal condemnation of such heinous acts and expressed the deepest condolences to the affected families, loved ones, the people and the Government of Plateau State. “Their immense loss is a collective grief, and we stand united in our determination to seek justice”.
The forum is calling on the authorities to promptly initiate a comprehensive investigation, describing as paramount allocating necessary resources to swiftly identify and apprehend the perpetrators. The forum is, as representatives, also urging the federal government to consolidate investigation reports of similar cases, taking necessary action to prevent future occurrences.
The perpetrators must face the full force of the law, said Sumaila in the statement which also stresses the case for unity among citizens during these trying times. “We must draw on our shared values of compassion, empathy, and respect to support one another and provide solace to those affected. This collective effort will foster resilience to overcome this dark chapter in our history”, it was further added.
The statement is demanding reflection on the importance of upholding peace, unity, and understanding within the country, arguing how important it is to recommit to fostering an inclusive atmosphere where diversity is celebrated and differences are resolved through dialogue and peaceful means.
The forum concludes by imploring everyone to stand united against violence, support the affected families, and trust national law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice, adding how, “together, we shall prevail, and our country will emerge stronger”
Calling this wave of killing a heinous crime and, therefore, a crime against humanity is an important step but even more important or challenging is pushing this position to consensus within the national security establishment in relation to the kind of actions that follows. Establishing consensus is always what is missing from the rhetoric against terrible realities across Nigeria. Pushing a position to consensus is crucial because it is not every standpoint canvassed that gets accepted in the security circles which is very heterogenous in composition in every polity.
