Residents of Bokkos, Barkin Ladi blames Government over Christmas Eve attacks

By: Our Reporter

Arising from a meeting on New Year’s Day, Leaders and Youths in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, have concluded that the attacks on their communities, which resulted in the killings of over 100 people, were the result of the laxity of the government’s security operatives, especially soldiers and police, who should be proactive in their operations to save lives and property of the people.

According to reports filtered from the meeting alledgedly held by the community leaders and some representatives of the youths as well as some important personalities from the area, the situation in their area calls for reflection on their existence if they are to continue to leave in their ancestral homes, a place they can call their own.

“We have welcomed other tribes, particularly the Fulanis, for ages. We gave them a place to stay, and today they are turning against us with weapons and killing our people. We cried out several times to the government, but each time we did, the next blood shed worsened. This calls for us to look inward and redefine our position with our visitors. We should not wait for another slaughter before we sit down to talk again. The government has come, and they all state the usual, but that is politics. We should not allow them to continue to gain from our blood while the perpetrators are out there.” Elder Elijah Dangana alledgedly said.

It was gathered that so many residents who came from far and near for Christmas and the new year in Jos only to meet with the ugly situation described the government as weak and unable to defend its citizens.

Mrs. Esther Bulus said she lost her aunt and her two sons to the unfortunate attack in Bokkos. “We came to bury our aunty and her two sons, not to celebrate Christmas. These evil people have continued to attack our villages, and the Nigerian government is watching and doing nothing. We have asked our leaders to speak out unless they want us to be wiped out completely. My uncle, the Reverend, was able to escape, but I lost three people dear to me. This is unforgivable.”

While the people count their losses and the period of mourning continues with stories vexing the heart and the community meetings revealing the position of the people and the next steps they hope to take in self-defense, the Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, General Christopher Musa, revealed that the purpose of the attack in Plateau State is to embarrass and make the government look stupid.

General Christopher Musa said this while speaking in an interview with Channels TV, where he stressed that the area where the attack occurred was large and that the military couldn’t react as quickly as some might have expected.

He said, “There was no good reason for the attack. It was done with impunity. The purpose is to embarrass everybody and to make the government look stupid. And whoever did it was up on their heels. We are making some arrests already, and we can assure Nigerians that we are on top of the game.

“One thing I want us to understand is that the general area where this incident occurred is not small. A lot of people just think it’s just a small area, and they ask, Why couldn’t the military react as quickly as possible?”.

However, some residents of the area told newsmen in Jos that the CDS was also trying to protect the government position, as those people reacting to the inaction of the security operatives are mostly inhabitants and know what they are saying.

“The statement of the CDS on Channels TV is only political. If the government is truly working, what are all the intelligence agencies doing? We have been shortchanged by political voices that make us look stupid.. Alexander Moses said:.

Residents of Bokkos, Barkin Ladi blames Government over Christmas Eve attacks