• MACBAN condemns security commander’s killing, rejects criminal tag on Fulani

In a resolution following the recent attacks, the Plateau State House of Assembly has called for an immediate security intervention in the affected communities in Barkin Ladi Local Council Area, as well as urgent infrastructure repairs and humanitarian assistance.

It also called for the Mobile Police Barracks in Gashish to be fully occupied, while urging Governor Caleb Mutfwang to engage President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to facilitate the interventions.

A statement yesterday by the Press Secretary to the Speaker, Philip Eplong, disclosed that the resolution followed a motion on Wednesday by Dickson Chollom, seconded by Abel Nansak, which was adopted during plenary.

In a related development, the lawmakers have commenced consideration of a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters.

Reading the communication, Speaker of the House, Naanlong Daniel, assured an expedited consideration of the bill, stating that the proposed State Police Service would complement the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and strengthen security coordination at the state and community levels.

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has condemned the killing of the deputy commander of the Operation Rainbow security outfit, CSP David Babale, by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias on Tuesday.

Calling on the government and relevant security agencies to end the cycle of violence across the state, the Plateau MACBAN Chairman, Ibrahim Babayo, said the killing of the senior police officer showed that the wave of violent attacks in the state should no longer be treated with kid gloves.

MACBAN insisted that the continuous cycle of violence and loss of innocent lives in the state was unacceptable, adding that no community benefits from bloodshed, just as “lasting peace could only be achieved through justice, dialogue, and respect for the rule of law.”

However, the group expressed concern at the growing trend of attributing every violent incident in the state to the Fulani community without credible evidence or formal investigation.

According to MACBAN, premature accusations are irresponsible, capable of inflaming tensions, and undermine the efforts of security agencies to identify and bring the real perpetrators to justice.

Calling on the NPF and other security agencies to conduct an impartial and transparent investigation into these killings, it stated that “criminals should be treated as individuals, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. No community should be condemned without credible evidence.”