It’s outrageous provocation- Northern Elders’ Forum reacts to Jos killings

Hakeem-Baba-Ahmed

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Northern Elders’ Forum has described last weekend’s killing of traveller in Jos, Plateau as an outrageous provocation and that compounds the deteriorating community relations in many parts of the region.

This is contained in a statement issued by the forum’s  Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Baba-Ahmed, “We have taken note of the statement of President Muhammadu Buhari and the steps taken by the Governor of Plateau, Mr Simon Lalong. These reactions should be able to produce immediate results in arrest and prosecutions.

“This heinous crime should not be ignored or treated as routine.

“While condoling families of those murdered, the forum appeals to all communities to show the highest level of restraint and tolerance.

“Killings and reprisals only endanger lives of more people, most of them innocent.

“We invite attention of leaders at all levels to the increasing vulnerability of Nigerians to armed criminality and deteriorating relations among many communities,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He emphasised that it was important that the citizens were made to feel safer and more secured.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that scores of travellers were attacked over the weekend in Jos in which some lost their lives, while others sustained various degrees of injuries. (NAN)