The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has declared seven days of mourning for the people killed by herdsmen in Plateau State and other parts of the country.

Consequently, the party directed that its flag at all its offices   at all levels across the country be flown at half-mast during the period in honour of the victims.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

He urged the people of Plateau State to exercise their rights as global citizens, work with other public-spirited Nigerians and groups and take President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to the International Court of Justice at The Hague for allegedly acting “helplessly in the face of continuous mass killings in our country.”

He added, “The PDP firmly holds that the life of every Nigerian is sacred. All Nigerians must be protected whether they are Birom, Basange , Igbira, Tiv, Idoma, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Gbagyi, Yoruba or from any other tribe whatsoever.

“The fundamental duty of government all over the world is the protection of lives and we can no longer afford to continue to fold our hands while compatriots are daily hacked to death by marauders.”

APC wants killers arrested, tried

On its part, the All Progressives Congress   demanded   the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of Saturday’s killings in three local government areas of Plateau State.

The party made the demand in a statement   by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, there is nothing that could possibly justify the descent into barbarism as was witnessed during the sad event.

The statement partly read, “We also once again call on security agencies to spare no efforts in ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators and in stemming the occurrence of such violence in all parts of the country.

“The APC commiserates with the government and people of Plateau State over Saturday’s gruesome killings in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom local government areas of the state.

“Nothing can justify such descent to barbarism, bestiality and cruelty to a fellow man as witnessed with the gruesome killings.”

Saraki visits Plateau, says N’Assembly will discuss killings next week

The President of the Senate said the National Assembly would, upon resumption next week, revisit the cases of killings in Plateau State and other parts of Nigeria.

Saraki stated that working towards peace in Plateau and the country as a whole must remain the primary responsibility of all Nigerians.

The Senate President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, was quoted as saying this during a condolence visit to the state.

Saraki was accompanied by the Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, and Senator Ubali Shittu. They were received by Lalong at the Plateau State Government House.

The Senate President said,  “Although the National Assembly is currently not in session, when we resume next week, this is one of the prime issues that will be up for discussion. However, we thought it necessary to come here personally to meet with the people of Plateau State to commiserate with the families because words cannot really describe this kind of pain.”

He also stated that though it is a difficult time for Plateau, the entire nation stood with the state during the difficult time.

The Senate President also called on the nation’s security agencies to ensure that those responsible for the killings were quickly apprehended to help bring an end to the killings in Plateau.

Saraki said, “We must also ensure that all those who are responsible for these killings must account for them. It is part of providing succour and ensuring the peace. You cannot bring back the lives but finding and prosecuting the perpetrators will go a long way in helping to calm people and ease the pain that they are going through. Therefore, yet again, we call on our security agents to ensure that they find the perpetrators that have done this and make them account for their detestable actions.”

Lalong commended Saraki and the Senate delegation, saying, “As the leader of the North-Central, we welcome you to our state. When this thing started, as the leader of our geopolitical region, you looked for me and you called me despite your busy schedule to ask me, ‘What can I do to help?”

Source: Punch