MANAGEMENT, Staff and Students of the Plateau State University (PLASU) Bokkos, has condoled with Mishkaham Mwaghavul, Da John Putmang Hirse, over recent incidents of attacks inflicted on his subjects by marauding herders, describing it as sad, senseless sad, senseless and barbaric.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the University, John K. Agam, and made available to THE NIGERIA STANDARD in Jos, the Plateau State capital shortly after the visit to his Palace in Mangu Tuesday.
Delivering the University’s condolence message, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Matur Malau Bernard, decried the spate of attacks of some communities in the state saying, “it is an ill wind that infarcts on the peaceful disposition of the people of the state. The recent killings was senseless and a mindless bloodletting which is aimed at derailing the insignia of peace that Plateau state is known for”.
Delivering the relief materials made up of some grains, clothing, guinea brocade materials, shoes, mats and mosquito nets, Professor Matur, said the donations demonstrates part of the university’s corporate social responsibility to citizens of the state and in a trying moment like this there was need to be our brothers’ keepers.
He, therefore, called on citizens of the state to continue to pray and work towards the restoration of peace and cautioned those whose stock in trade was fanning the embers of hatred and mutual suspicion to desist to allow peace reign in the state .
Responding, the Mishkaham Mwaghavul Da John Putmang Hirse, appreciated the Management, Staff and Students of Plateau State University for demonstrating their love and concern for the people of Mangu even amidst the harsh economic situation.
He described the Mwaghavul people as peace loving, industrious and accommodating and wondered why they were attacked without provocation saying, “the mindless killings of my peaceful citizens portrays a grand design by some people towards land grabbing which will be resisted.
The Paramount ruler, said, “the devastation left in the wake of the recent unprovoked attacks on my subjects is better imagined. It has displaced many farming communities which portends danger and hunger unless the people return to their farms. The unfortunate incident is the beginning of a new thing on the Plateau”, he hoped.
Da Hirse, however, called on the government to rise up to its responsibility of protecting the citizens and to also help in ameliorating the hardships currently being experienced and prayed God to protect and see over his people whose land they must defend revealing that, some churches have already been converted to mosques.
He used the occasion to appeal to the University to go into research to get the immediate and remote causes of such scope of unprovoked killings on the people in various communities of Plateau state with no serious action taken.
The Mishkaham Mwaghavul, advised people in the state to be security conscious, calling on Plateau Indigenous Development Association (PIDAN ) to take steps to forestall this situation because of the recurring incidences of such attacks across the state. He thanked Plateau State University Community for identifying with his people in this time of need.
