Boko Haram now targeting Plateau Christians- Federal Lawmaker

The deadly Boko Haram terrorist group are “looking out for Christian citizens of Plateau state to kill”, and more citizens are at risk of such targeted killings if something urgent is not done, so says Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Member representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke at the House of Representatives, while reacting to the recent gruesome murder of his constituent, Daciya Ropvil Dalep by the group.

In a press conference in Jos on Thursday, Gagdi stated that: “since the insurgents have made it categorically clear that they are looking out for Christian citizens of Plateau State to kill, the last could not have been heard of such gruesome murder of our dear Plateau brothers and sisters. Only the living go to school, we cannot afford to continue to lose our loved ones in their prime to the nefarious activities of those daredevils”.

According to the lawmaker, recent activities of the group were evidence of their agenda towards Plateau citizens and that that could portend danger to the stability of the nation.

“Early last month, one Jennifer, a native of Bokkos LGA and an aid worker with an international organization was taken captive by the Boko Haram terrorists. It took the swift intervention of Governor Lalong and the rapid response of the federal government to have the lady released after almost a month in their dungeon. “It appears the terrorists are now focusing on Plateau citizens as the target of a particular sinister agenda, which is to put the country in a religious disharmony”.

“Not long ago, a similar video of the gory killing of two Plateau citizens from Mangu local government area was released by the insurgents with a similar message of their intention to continually abduct and kill in like manner Christian citizens of Plateau State. Two other constituents of mine were also ambushed and killed along Maiduguri-Damaturu road by Boko Haram on 23rd December 2019. They are Dauda Gojang Gaskiya of Kazuk village and Joseph Wutuk of Amper village, both in Kanke LGA”, he lamented.

He described such acts as “devilish” and  “a bad tone that is capable of igniting religious conflagration between Muslims and Christians citizens of Plateau state and Nigeria as a country”.

He, therefore, charged the Borno State Governor and other relevant authorities to “guarantee the safety” of Plateau citizens or risk relocating them from the region.

“While I challenge the federal government to go beyond lip service to guarantee the safety of Nigerians anywhere within the country, I passionately appeal to the Executive Governor of Plateau State to, as a matter of urgency, set up a machinery in motion by considering the appointment of a delegation to visit the executive Governor of Borno State and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri to elicit a convincing plan of action by the government of the state and the school management, of guaranteeing the safety of Christian Plateau students studying in the state. Otherwise, I would strongly advocate that negotiations with JAMB, University of Jos and Plateau State University Bokkos as well as other institutions within the north-central be held with the view to securing admission for them outside the northeast, where activities of the insurgents are most prevalent”, he concluded.

 

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