Nigerians seek arrest, prosecution of mayhem masterminds

Stakeholders in the Nigeria Project yesterday called for the arrest and prosecution of the masterminds of last Sunday mayhem in Plateau State.

They expressed sadness over the attacks, insisting that the culprits must be made to account for their action.

Speaking with The Guardian, the Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said the killings should be strongly condemned by all lovers of humanity and civilisation.

“There is no way human lives can be substituted for cattle. So, Miyetti Allah that has openly and brazenly claimed responsibility, should be brought to justice.

To do otherwise is to pave the way for genocide. This government is fast failing in its responsibilities to protect lives and property,” he stated.

In his remarks, the Ogun State governorship aspirant on the platform of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, urged the Federal Government to stop politicising the killings and find a lasting solution to the problem.

He also slammed the Miyetti Allah for claiming that the attacks were a payback for 300 stolen cattle.

According to a Professor of Mass Communication at the Lagos State University (LASU), Lai Oso, government at all levels must do all it takes to stop the killings.

“It is sad that the human life is no longer valued. Those involved must be brought to book,” he said.

The convener of Plateau Youth G-17 Peace and Progressive Forum, Dachung Musa Bagos, regretted that the police do not have the firepower to match the sophisticated ammunitions of the herdsmen.

“You cannot justify the killing of people with cows, you cannot equate the lives of cows with humans.

You cannot politicise peace; what we had was political peace, and now we are facing real issues on the Plateau, and everybody is overwhelmed.

A peace that is being compromised for a particular period will not last,” he stated.

Bagos added: “When the present administration came in, it started canvassing for grazing and ranching reserves in the name of peace, which we rejected on the Plateau. What has been happening on in the state for a long time is land grabbing.”