FG must identify those behind Plateau killings – Catholic archbishop
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Martins, has urged the Federal Government to identify the perpetrators and sponsors of the recent killings in Plateau State and other parts of the country.
He said President Bola Tinubu’s action against the evildoers would prove that they are not being shielded and show that the battle against insecurity is not lost.
Martins made this known in a statement signed and made available by the church’s Director of Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu, on Tuesday.
He noted that the failure of the security agencies to bring culprits to book and their inability to secure their lives further may leave the people to resort to bearing arms to protect their lives and property.
that there was outrage on December 26 over Christmas eve attacks on communities in three local government areas of Plateau State.
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, condemned the attacks and ordered a manhunt for the killers.
While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau State, Tinubu assured Nigerians that “these envoys of death, pain, and sorrow will not escape justice.”
Reacting, the Catholic Bishop said, “The heart of everyone with human feelings must bleed as we watched the corpses of innocent citizens lined up and buried in mass graves after being hacked down by heartless people who have been operating with impunity in many communities.
“The killings have continued because there have not been any repercussions on those who carry them out. All we see after each round of killing are government officials condemning the killing and promising that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
“The cliché is beginning to sound like a broken record, and people take such promises with a pinch of salt because no one has actually heard of anyone being taken to court or convicted for such heinous crimes. This cannot be allowed to go on.
“The people who are victims of these crimes want to see real action taken to bring justice to their dear ones. People’s anger can be assuaged only if those found culpable are brought to book.
“We want to know who the perpetrators are and all those who sent them on these inglorious missions. Until these are done, the general impression would be that the culprits are being shielded by powerful forces in and out of government circles.”
Martins, however, countered the claim that the killings were targeted at Christians, saying, “If the killings had happened in areas that are predominantly Christian in population and there are no efforts made to arrest the situation, as is the case today, people would feel entirely justified to come to such a conclusion.
“So government and security agencies have the duty of proving them wrong by ensuring that no stone is left unturned in bringing the perpetrators to book and restoring the confidence of people that they would be protected wherever they chose to live and whatever religion they choose to practice.
“I believe that there is no true religion that supports or preaches such atrocious shedding of innocent blood even if some of their adherents abuse their religion in that way. The onus, therefore, also lies on true believers and their leaders to denounce such killings and take proactive steps to bring such mindless killings to an end.”
He further advised the government to find a long-lasting solution to the problem while urging religious groups and leaders to do all necessary to help bring the atrocities to an end, adding, “The consequences of religious discord are very grave”.
