“Breaking the Cycle: Yilwatda’s Plea for a Peaceful Plateau”

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has proclaimed that the recent murders of innocent individuals in Plateau State will not occur again.

This is also as he praised the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the State to express condolences to the government and populace of the state over the recent horrific and irrational slayings of innocent residents of Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area.

He stated that the President’s visit is a significant illustration of responsive governance, compassion, and national unity during a period when the people of Plateau are mourning the tragic and unfair loss of their loved ones to yet another wave of barbaric brutality.

It can be recalled that President Tinubu was welcomed in Plateau State by the National Chairman, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, former governors, political figures, traditional leaders, religious heads, elders, women and youth representatives, as well as stakeholders from various segments of society in the state.

During the visit, the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, denounced the killings in the strongest and most unambiguous terms, labeling the assault as inhumane, cowardly, objectionable, and a direct affront to the peace, unity, and essence of Plateau State.

According to Professor Yilwatda, the endless shedding of innocent blood in Plateau is not merely intolerable but a national disaster that must no longer be regarded with periodic outrage and temporary reactions.

In a statement signed by Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser to the National Chairman on Media and Communications strategy, Yilwatda emphasized that the moment has arrived for intentional, coordinated, and result-focused efforts by all pertinent authorities and stakeholders to ensure that such heinous and unconscionable actions never occur again in Plateau State or anywhere else in the nation.

Professor Yilwatda urged community leaders across Plateau State to become increasingly vigilant, responsive, and proactive in recognizing and reporting suspicious activities and security threats within their areas.

He noted that the consistent pattern of killings strongly indicates that many of those responsible for these atrocious acts are not phantoms or unseen intruders, but criminal elements and wrongdoers residing within or near the communities, capitalizing on local weaknesses to unleash chaos on innocent individuals.

In his words, “these wicked perpetrators must no longer be protected by silence, fear, complicity, or communal apathy. He insisted that they must be identified, exposed, detained, and made to face the full force of the law.”

The APC National Chairman further urged security agencies to swiftly rethink and enhance their security framework and operational methods in addressing the persistent violence in Plateau State.

He stressed that the security agencies cannot persist in utilizing outdated strategies against increasingly adaptive and merciless criminal networks and anticipate a different outcome.

Professor Yilwatda advocated the adoption of contemporary surveillance and intelligence-driven technology, encompassing Artificial Intelligence-powered cameras, drones, advanced tracking systems, and real-time intelligence collection mechanisms, to detect, monitor, and neutralize criminal elements before they strike.

He stated that the current era necessitates smarter, quicker, and more sophisticated security measures, indicating that the safeguarding of lives and property must now rely not only on manpower but also on technology, intelligence, precision, and accountability.

He declared plainly that Plateau cannot continue to mourn cyclically while the adversaries of peace roam freely and repeatedly inflict terror on innocent citizens.

Professor Yilwatda also highlighted the severe economic repercussions of insecurity in Plateau State, lamenting that the state, which is richly endowed with stunning natural scenery, vibrant tourism resources, and enormous economic potential, has continued to experience avoidable setbacks due to ongoing violence.

He observed that Plateau has long been celebrated as a peaceful and attractive destination with some of Nigeria’s most vibrant tourism centers, cultural attractions, and agricultural potentials, but all of these opportunities remain vulnerable and stunted in the face of recurrent assaults.

According to him, no economy can flourish where fear prevails, no investment can prosper where blood is spilled, and no society can genuinely thrive where innocent citizens exist under the shadow of insecurity.

He cautioned that without adequate preservation of lives and communities, the social and economic future of the state could be severely hindered, thereby depriving the populace, especially the youth, of prosperity, stability, and hope.

Yilwatda called for a comprehensive societal approach to ending the violence in Plateau, urging traditional institutions, religious leaders, political figures, youth organizations, women’s groups, security personnel, and community stakeholders to collaborate in sincerity and patriotism to restore peace and stability.

During the visit, other leaders from across Plateau State also expressed their deep concerns about the troubling security situation in the state and the urgent need for decisive and sustained intervention to stop the bloodshed and restore trust among the populace.

As part of the visit, President Tinubu, accompanied by Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, former leaders, and other key stakeholders, also made a solemn and profoundly emotional visit to the families of the affected victims of the Angwan Rukuba assault.

The visit to the bereaved families was a touching moment of empathy and national sorrow, as the President shared in their grief and offered words of solace, reassurance, and unity in the face of unfathomable loss.

The APC noted that “this visit by President Tinubu is not just symbolic; it serves as a powerful indication that the Federal Government stands resolutely with the people of Plateau State and remains dedicated to confronting the scourge of violent attacks with renewed urgency and seriousness.

“It is anticipated that the President will, in the coming days, continue broader engagements with leaders of Plateau communities and critical stakeholders toward developing practical, inclusive, and lasting solutions that will ensure sustainable peace, justice, reconciliation, and security for the people of the state.

“The APC reaffirms that the lives of Plateau citizens are sacred and non-negotiable, and that those who revel in instilling death, fear, and division among peaceful communities must be pursued and brought to justice without delay.

“The blood of innocent men, women, and children demands justice, and the nation must respond with determination.”