What appeared to be a peaceful unveiling of party secretariat in Jos, the Plateau State capital by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)’s Presidential candidate, Senator Musa Kwankwoso, on the eve of Nigeria’s 62nd Independence celebration, turned out to be a security threat as political thugs invaded shops around Terminus.
On that fateful evening, while traders and customers were busy trying to retire home after the business of the day, these political thugs from nowhere came with dangerous weapons attacking and chasing people in the heart of Tin City, causing commotion as people ran shelter skelter for their lives.
A reliable source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that these thugs were from the unveiling of Sen. Kwankwoso’s campaign office at the Dogon Karfe in Jos. After waiting patiently for his arrival from morning to evening, the visiting presidential candidate did not play the usual political rituals of dropping what could take them home.
He said, “You know, these thugs always frequent any political gathering believing that something must come for them to transport themselves home, but the opposite happened. They were there from morning to evening chanting and dancing, demonstrating their allegiances to the presidential candidate but nothing came out after the unveiling of this campaign office.
“I think what triggered their anger most was the commissioning of the state party office around Channel 7, Yakubu Gowon way. The party’s supporters and some of these political thugs were there under the rain and sun waiting to receive the candidate, but he did not show up. When these thugs waited and could not see him, they became furious and started removing the party’s flags and banners.
“We heard them saying in Hausa language that, “Dan Rudu ne”, meaning; a fake politician. It was from there that they took to violence after meeting another angry group at the Dogon Karfe. I am sure some of them decided to take the path of violence to scare people away and steal. If not, why would they attack innocent people who are doing their legitimate businesses?” he questioned.
According to the source, the candidate on arrival went to the mosque to pray because it was Friday and could not meet the Gbong Gwom Jos and President, Plateau State Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, who had waited for him in the Palace to receive him, but he did not show up on time. So he left for another important assignment.
“When the Presidential candidate came to pay the Gbong Gwom Jos homage, he was told he had waited and left so he wasted most time there to see if the paramount ruler would return but it was not possible. I think that was what delayed his coming to commission the party office at Channel 7”, he explained.
Also in an interview with one Stephen Onyema, a trader around Terminus Market, he said, “I don’t know what happened that day because fortunately for me, I had already closed my shop and was on my way home when I saw people running for their lives. At first, I thought it was another crisis, but I later discovered that it was political thugs who returned from party office that were attacking people.
“Plateau State has faced series of crises in the past and we cannot afford to face a repeat of that ugly incidence. We need to caution our youths about such habit or it may one day bring us back to those ugly days. God forbid! Community and religious leaders should caution their wards against this barbaric act”, he advised.
All efforts to reach the Plateau State Party Chairman, Hon. John Mandim Tokji, proved abortive as he was not picking his calls for over two days. However, we want to use this opportunity to caution all political parties to educate their supporters on the danger this attitude portends considering how dicey and perilous times are these days.
We also want to draw the attention of government to this security threat so that it should place a standing order on all political parties for them to advise their supporters or be forced to pay for any harm done to any person or be held responsible for any breach of law in Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole. Because human life is not worth any desperation of a politician.
Everyone must say no to this politics of thuggery! We must also say no to desperate politicians who think they can manipulate young Nigerians to force their ambitious minds on them. We have gone through a lot as Plateau people and Nigerians and cannot allow some crop of criminals to take advantage of politics to destroy us.
We must do all we can to stop such desperate politicians from coming if they cannot promise us peace. The Rescue Administration of Governor Simon Bako Lalong, has invested a lot in peace building and it is our duty as Plateau people to complement this effort by saying a capital NO to criminal minded persons!
However, this is not in anyway penciling the NNPP Presidential candidate, Senator Musa Kwankwaso, as the master mind of what happened that fateful day. But it is aimed at cautioning other politicians who may wish to visit Jos, the Plateau State capital ahead of this forthcoming general elections.
We are peaceful people and would not risk being a trigger to any unrest that would pitch Nigerians at logger heads. Yes, agreed, Plateau is known for being the determining state of Nigeria’s politics, but will not allow any group of people to paint us black. In God we trust! Let us play a save one for all for the sake of generations to come. God bless Nigeria!
