The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Plateau State has accused terrorists of openly attacking communities that were obeying government-imposed curfews, as killings continue across the state.
The four NBA branches in the state, Jos, Pankshin, Bukuru and Shendam, raised the alarm at a joint press conference on Monday at the NUJ Secretariat, Jos. Their chairmen are Morgan Dung, Selven Zingman, Lucy Pam-Fom Bot and Sylvia Kumtong. Dung read the statement. The lawyers said the continued attacks in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos Local Government Areas showed the government’s failure to protect lives and property. Citing Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, they called protection of citizens the government’s most fundamental duty.
They said it was disturbing that terrorists ignored the curfew and struck at law-abiding communities. Community vigilantes were killed at their post in Kikyo village, Mangu, during curfew hours, and similar attacks were reported in Cantoma, Bin-Per and Kasa villages. The NBA described the situation as “an invitation to total anarchy.” It warned that unchecked violence and the escape of perpetrators from justice were breeding impunity and eroding public trust. It also lamented that some communities had been sacked, with their lands allegedly seized, occupied and renamed while survivors remain displaced.
The association commended President Bola Tinubu for visiting Plateau to condole with victims of the Jos North killings and for backing state police, but urged the Federal Government to do more. Its demands included an Executive Bill moving security to the Concurrent Legislative List, better equipment and motivation for security agencies, stronger border surveillance and degazetting forests around the Pa’I River Game Reserve, which it said harbour bandits. It also listed Garga community in Kanam LGA as a victim of banditry, alleging an influx of Fulani militia from several northern states and the Republic of Niger.
The NBA praised the state government for reviving Operation Rainbow, training 2,000 Neighbourhood Watch members and hunters, supplying gun trucks and setting up a command centre. It asked the state to license both outfits to use kinetic facilities, amend its law, enforce the Anti-Land Grabbing Law and provide structures for police divisions.
Other demands covered local government chairmen residing in their domains, community intelligence-sharing and lawful self-defence, and monitoring of unidentified arrivals by traditional rulers. On security agencies, it wants combat vehicles moved to flashpoints, investigation of late responses to attacks and regular redeployment of long-serving personnel. On justice, it called for time-bound terrorism trials, sanctions for lawyers who cause delays, governors signing death warrants for convicted terrorists and public disclosure of trials of sponsors. Referring to six deaths confirmed at Laja Village on Saturday, the NBA warned the President that if killings continue, “no single Nigerian” may be left to vote in 2027.
