Plateau Group Rejects Calls for State of Emergency Over Insecurity

A good governance advocacy group, One Plateau, One Voice, has rejected calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in Plateau State over the recurring attacks and killings in parts of the state.

The group also opposed demands for the disbandment of Operation Rainbow and the removal of the Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Plateau State.

The calls were reportedly made by a group identified as Hausa-Fulani Unity, which argued that the existing security architecture had failed to adequately protect residents amid prolonged violence in the state.

However, in a statement signed by its convener, Dogo Nanzing, One Plateau, One Voice described the proposed emergency rule as inappropriate, arguing that it would not resolve the longstanding security challenges confronting communities across the state.

Nanzing said the priority should be the protection of residents, restoration of stability and the return of displaced persons to their communities.

He also defended Operation Rainbow, saying the security outfit was established as part of efforts to address insecurity in Plateau and should be supported to carry out its mandate.

The group further rejected allegations questioning the neutrality of the DSS in the state, insisting that the agency had remained part of the security structure in Plateau for decades.

Nanzing questioned the timing of the demand for a state of emergency, noting that Plateau had experienced years of attacks, displacement and loss of lives.

He urged stakeholders to focus on strengthening the security architecture and addressing the underlying causes of the crisis rather than adopting measures that could further polarise the state.

One Plateau, One Voice also called for the restoration of communities and lands from which residents had been displaced, stressing that such processes should be pursued through lawful and peaceful means.

The group urged the government, security agencies, traditional institutions and community leaders to intensify collaboration towards protecting lives, restoring peace and enabling displaced residents to return to their homes.