The Plateau State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed deep sorrow over the recent wave of violent attacks in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas, which have claimed the lives of over 100 people in recent weeks.
Speaking at a press conference in Jos on Tuesday on behalf of the four NBA branches in Plateau State, the Chairperson of the NBA Jos branch, Leah Hassan, said the persistent bloodshed must no longer be met with indifference or vague promises.
She declared that the call to action should no longer be “enough is enough” but rather, “this is enough – let’s stand up and take action.”
While commending the steps taken so far by the Plateau State Government, the NBA called on the Federal Government to adopt comprehensive and proactive measures to prevent further genocidal attacks on the people of Plateau State.
“This is not a communal clash, as described by some individuals,” Hassan said. “It is an intentional and calculated attempt to wipe out defenseless citizens in their sleep — a wicked act by men who have no regard for human lives.”
The association condemned the silence surrounding the attacks, stressing that the killing of innocent citizens and the forceful takeover of ancestral lands has rendered many people strangers in their own homes.
Flanked by the Chairmen of the NBA Pankshin Branch, W.T. Awe; NBA Bukuru, S.T. Ahile; and NBA Shendam, David Dashak, Hassan called for the immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible for the atrocities.
“We insist that all arrested perpetrators be prosecuted in Plateau State and not transferred to Abuja, where their cases often vanish without a trace — suggesting their quiet release,” she said.
The NBA also called on the Federal Government to deploy adequate security personnel to vulnerable communities with clear mandates to protect lives and property.
“States should be empowered to establish state police forces, equipped and armed to defend their communities,” the association added.
They further demanded that communities be allowed to defend themselves and urged the Federal Government to empower vulnerable areas with self-defense mechanisms and equipment, given the current inadequacy of security personnel across the country.
