Plateau Attacks: NBA Demands Action, Urges Citizens to Report Rights Abuses

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned of a possible breakdown of law and order in Plateau State following renewed attacks on communities, demanding urgent government action to protect lives, strengthen security operations and ensure perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.

The association made the call on Monday during a joint press conference by NBA branches in Plateau State, held at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, Jos, where the Chairman of the NBA Jos Branch, Morgan Dung, Esq., read the joint statement.

The NBA condemned sustained attacks in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos Local Government Areas, saying the violence had resulted in loss of lives, destruction of property and displacement of communities. Citing Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, it stressed that every person has a right to life and that protecting lives and property remains a fundamental responsibility of government.

The association expressed particular concern over attacks allegedly carried out despite curfews in some affected areas, citing the reported killing of community vigilantes at their duty post in Kikyau village, Mangu Local Government Area. It also referenced reported attacks in Kantoma and Bin-Per in Mangu, as well as Kassa, Wereh, Ropp, Fan and Marit Districts in Barkin Ladi.

According to the NBA, continued violence and the alleged evasion of justice by perpetrators were creating a perception of impunity and weakening public confidence in the ability of the state to protect citizens. It also raised concerns over the displacement and occupation of communities, alleging that some affected communities had been completely sacked and their lands forcefully occupied.

The association commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his recent visit to Plateau to condole with victims of killings in Jos North, as well as moves towards the establishment of State Police and proposals for improved security training. However, it urged the Federal Government to go further by sponsoring an Executive Bill to place security under the Concurrent Legislative List and give state governors greater operational control over security agencies deployed in their states.

The NBA also called for better equipment, motivation and discipline among the Armed Forces and paramilitary agencies, alongside stronger border surveillance. It proposed replacing the Pai River Game Reserve, which it said had become a hideout for criminal elements, with a military formation to strengthen security around the Plateau-Bauchi-Taraba borders.

At the state level, the association commended the Plateau Government for revamping Operation Rainbow and the Neighbourhood Watch, training 2,000 personnel, procuring security vehicles and motorcycles, establishing a command and central monitoring centre in Jos, and setting up a committee on the creation of a State Police Service.

It, however, urged the state government to provide stronger legal backing for Operation Rainbow and the Neighbourhood Watch, license personnel to operate kinetic facilities under the supervision of frontline security agencies, implement the Anti-Land Grabbing Law and improve infrastructure for police divisions and Forward Operating Bases across the state.

The NBA further called on local government chairmen to remain within their jurisdictions for effective governance, while urging communities to strengthen intelligence gathering and cooperate with security agencies. It cautioned citizens against spreading unverified information, inflammatory social media content and taking the law into their own hands.

Speaking on constitutional breaches and human rights violations after the briefing, Dung called on citizens whose rights had been violated to approach the NBA, assuring them that the association would use lawful means to seek redress and pursue accountability.

“We call on well-meaning citizens whose rights have been trampled upon to approach the Nigerian Bar Association,” Dung said, adding that the NBA has a Human Rights Committee through which cases involving violations of fundamental rights can be addressed.

He disclosed that the NBA Jos Branch was currently pursuing a matter before the Court Martial Division involving two soldiers who were convicted and sentenced to death, expressing concern over their alleged transfer to the theatre of war without an opportunity to exercise their right of appeal. He said the NBA had intervened in the matter and that the case was scheduled to come up again the following day.

On the right to self-defence, Dung said the law recognises the right of citizens to defend themselves against aggression but cautioned that such defence must be proportionate to the level of aggression faced.

The NBA also demanded faster prosecution of terrorism-related cases, accountability for alleged sponsors and financiers of violence, protection for victims and witnesses, and sanctions for security personnel found culpable of negligence or compromise.

It said its branches in Plateau would continue to work with government institutions, security agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and affected communities to document violations, promote access to justice and pursue lawful accountability, while urging citizens to report rights violations rather than resort to self-help.