Justice, Not Reassurance, Is Key to Lasting Peace in Plateau

Plateau State has once again captured national attention following a brutal terrorist attack in Unguwan Rukuba, a densely populated area of Jos city. On Palm Sunday, assailants indiscriminately opened fire, resulting in the deaths of numerous individuals, including men, women, and youths.

Initial reports indicated over 20 fatalities. The situation escalated when local youths, perceiving the attack as religiously motivated against Christians, initiated retaliatory actions, transforming a single act of terror into widespread sectarian violence across the city.

Amidst urgent efforts by government and security agencies to restore order and appeal for calm, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a condemnation. He subsequently visited Plateau State, meeting with victims' families, state officials, and other stakeholders at the Yakubu Gowon Airport. The President pledged that the recent killings would not be repeated and directed security forces to apprehend the perpetrators.

However, just a day later, another incident in Barikin Ladi and Riyom local government areas resulted in four deaths, reigniting tit-for-tat violence. For those familiar with Plateau State's conflict history, government promises and security advisories have consistently failed to end the cycle of violence. Residents enduring decades of conflict often view such assurances as mere political rhetoric lacking substance.

In Plateau, and indeed in many conflict-affected regions across Nigeria, justice has frequently been elusive for victims and their families. Instead, there's a disturbing trend of individuals resorting to vigilante justice. In areas where ethnic and religious divisions exacerbate conflicts, the pursuit of justice often manifests as inflicting maximum harm on perceived enemy groups.

Over the past 25 years, Plateau State has become a focal point of instability. Despite numerous arrests by security agents, prosecutions that would deter future violence or provide closure for affected families remain scarce. Operation Safe Haven, later renamed Operation Enduring Peace, tasked with maintaining law and order, appears to have exhausted its options for restoring lasting sanity. Established over 15 years ago, the task force, comprising personnel from various security branches, was designed for more than just immediate peacekeeping; it was intended to investigate and prosecute offenders.

Regrettably, it has largely become a short-term peacekeeping force, restoring order only until the next incident. While arrests have been made, convictions are rare. Even in cases like the disappearance and murder of retired Major General Mohammed Idris Alkali, investigated by the task force and the Nigerian Army's 3rd Armoured Division, the prosecution of suspects in Plateau State has been significantly delayed, even eight years later.

This persistent failure to connect criminal acts with justice emboldens perpetrators and perpetuates the cycle of violence. For example, since the Unguwan Rukuba attack, official updates on investigations, leads, or arrests of those directly responsible have been absent. Instead, unverified reports suggest that suspects detained during the subsequent unrest in Jos were released, purportedly on the directive of Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

This pattern is deeply concerning. True justice requires holding all lawbreakers accountable, irrespective of their background, faith, or ethnicity. However, successive administrations in Plateau have frequently succumbed to public pressure or blackmail. Women-led protests, for instance, have been used to obstruct security operations or influence the release of suspects, effectively turning justice into a bargaining tool.

In seeking a sustainable solution to the state's security challenges, former Governor Simon Bako Lalong, during the President's visit, proposed a collaborative approach involving past governors Jonah Jang and Fidelis Tapgun, current Governor Mutfwang, and President Tinubu. The underlying causes of Plateau's recurring crises are evident, though complex. They stem from unresolved indigene-settler disputes, ethnic and religious tensions, struggles for political power, farmer-herder conflicts, land disputes, and the increasing prevalence of banditry and kidnapping. These issues are often framed through the lens of identity politics rather than being treated as criminal matters.

President Tinubu must understand that lasting peace in Plateau cannot be achieved solely through meetings with current and former leaders or through assurances. Without accountability, reprisals will persist, and lawlessness will continue to thrive. Justice, delivered through impartial investigations and credible prosecutions, is the only effective deterrent capable of breaking this cycle.

Political interference remains a significant impediment. As Commander-in- Chief, the President should direct security agencies to disregard directives from state governors that impede investigations. If prosecutions falter at the state level, transferring suspects to Abuja could ensure due process. Plateau State, and Nigeria as a whole, can achieve peace, but only when justice is consistently and impartially administered.