By Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir
Plateau State goes with the name of Home of Peace and Tourism. But that seems to be the old Plateau that some of were privileged to be born into and proudly so. Since the return to civil rule, Plateau has negotiated a bend that is far from peace and tourism.
Remember when President Olusegun Obasanjo had to fly to Jos, after a bloodbath and out of anger of obscene scenario, had flog a Reverend who he felt sounded condescending?
Remember even Governor Joshua Dariye had to be forced to a sabbatical from Government House, Rayfield Jos with retired General Chris Ali taking charge after the Federal Government declared a state of emergency?
It was so bad that while Plateau burn then, Governor Joshua Chibi Dariye was on holidays outside the country. When he eventually returned to Nigeria, he stayed put in Abuja as against going to the Plateau, a state he was elected to govern.
But the worst came to the fore under Governor David Jonah Jang. The bloodbath through sectarian crises got to it nadir. No thanks to Baba Jang’s module of rendering all other ethnic group inferior to his.
But even at that, the murderous groups on the Plateau operationalised a new mode by manning illegal road blocks, stop vehicles of innocent travellers, hack them to death, set their remains ablaze or burry them in unmarked graves, and push their vehicles into deep ponds full of water.
Only God knows the number of innocent travellers who fell victims of these murderous groups.
The disappearance of retired General Idris Alkali traveling alone from Abuja to Bauchi, and the persistence of the military intelligence finally exposed this murderous groups mode of operations.
Till date, no single person has been prosecuted for that gruesome and barbaric act despite the glaring evidences and arrests made.
You could recall similar murder of the group travelling from Bauchi to Ondo State after a Maulud celebration. These murderous groups of individuals accosted the innocent travellers in Rukuba, Plateau State and killed them in cold blood.
After that incident, the then Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who incidentally hails from the state, confirmed that among those arrested again in that heinous crime, were some earlier arrested and being tried for the killing of General Alkali.
So, they were let loose by those who should have sent them behind bars or even for the noose to die by hanging, to commit more of such heinous and inhuman crime of taking lives of innocent travellers through the state.
Only God knows the number of other innocent unknown travellers that these carnivorous mammals have hacked to death.
The killings and burning of the wedding guests from Zaria in Mongu, in a federal government plate-numbered and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) branded vehicle of twenty plus innocent travellers by the same set of murderous groups on the Plateau, is another painful reminder of how barbaric these humans have nosedived, worst than the most carnivorous mammals.
Whatever excuses you may want to give, these are known set of humans that the authorities should have put where they rightfully belongs. But no, those who should do that, are using same object of authority to protect them and the barbaric acts continue.
These show you how sick a nation we have become. But more so, how retarded a state like Plateau has plunged to, worst nadir of man inhumanity to man.
If the authorities fail to apprehend and prosecute these murderous groups, they may be setting a stage for more bloodbath of more innocent humans.
For those who may protect and defend these sets of barbaric, carnivorous mammals, you or your loved ones may be their next victim; God forbids.
Like Shakespeare says, he who steeps his safety in blood, would have but a bloody safety. On the Plateau, the murderous groups are still on the prowl, baying for more blood of innocent travellers.
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