Plateau Killing: Tinubu Should Spend A Week In The Affected Communities To Ease Tension, By Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed

People have been enduring economic hardship with no hope for a brighter future, as their primary concerns revolve around basic needs such as food and survival.

A father abandoned his family due to the overwhelming challenges he faced. Feeling helpless, he considered himself irresponsible as he couldn’t provide food and shelter for his family.

Mothers find themselves working as miners, with some resorting to begging on the streets to feed their children.

Many women have turned to a life of transactional relationships out of sheer necessity, while some young men have resorted to fraudulent activities, such as Yahoo scams, viewing it as an easy way to make money.

The genesis of Nigeria’s problems can largely be traced to leadership failures, where those in power have neglected their responsibility to meet the demands of the people.

On Christmas Eve, suspected Fulani militants attacked Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, and brutally killed over 150 people. The coordinated attack was carried out by herdsmen who have been terrorizing Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba, and Benue states for years.

It is obvious that some people have a hidden agenda to harm the people in Plateau state, with no fewer than 64 communities displaced by terrorists who occupied schools in the local government area.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu, whose duty is to protect the lives and properties of citizens, failed to do so. Instead, he celebrated Christmas in a colorful manner in Lagos while over 150 people were murdered under his watch within two hours.

A responsive and responsible leader would show empathy and sympathy for their people, using all available channels to ensure that the affected people receive justice and adequate compensation. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Tinubu.

Over 150 people were killed, and President Tinubu remained comfortably in his Lagos house while grieving families were still searching for the bodies of their loved ones. A good leader would leave their current location and rush to the affected communities to express sympathy and assure them that the perpetrators will be apprehended, promising compensation for the affected families.

If the affected people are not taken care of, the consequences may include an escalation of conflict and an arms race, as people become willing to fight to the bitter end due to the loss of loved ones.

The conscience of our leaders seems to be lacking, with no regard for the citizens. Their primary concern is embezzling public funds, plunging citizens into abject poverty without the ability to question authority but merely to survive.

President Tinubu needs to wake up and convene a security meeting with all service chiefs, giving them an ultimatum to apprehend the perpetrators. Any service chief failing in their responsibility should be immediately dismissed. Competent and expert individuals are required to handle the country’s security. Tightening borders and resisting external forces attempting to exploit Nigeria are crucial steps.

More warnings need to be issued to leaders of specific tribes or groups attempting to compromise the country’s security. The president should not succumb to threats or pressure from any quarter, understanding that the country’s security is paramount, and it is our collective responsibility to promote peace and unity.

If violence continues unchecked, Nigeria may descend into a state of lawlessness, where the government and security agencies become increasingly helpless.