Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria — The Take-It-Back Movement don call for immediate resignation of Governor Caleb Mutfwang as body don discover say over 2,218 Nigerians don die in Plateau State since April 2023 due to violent attacks. Dem make this demand in a statement wey dem release on Monday and wey SaharaReporters don collect.
Dem describe di violence as systematic massacre wey dey happen because of silence, inaction, and state failure. Di movement highlight say as communities dey wiped out, di people wey suppose protect dem dey hide for Aso Villa and Little Rayfield with plenty security men around dem.
Juwon Sanyaolu, di National Coordinator of di movement, talk say both di federal government and di state government don become “complicit” in di killings. E accuse dem say dem dey give only “lifeless press statements and empty condemnations” while di bloodbath dey happen.
“Di Nigerian Constitution no be suggestion,” Sanyaolu talk, as e reference Section 14(2)(b) wey state say di security and welfare of di people suppose be di primary purpose of government. “Any government wey dey watch im citizens dey butcher wey no get response don lose im legitimacy,” e add.
Di movement state sey dem no go fit just mourn in silence again while villagers dey slaughtered inside dem own homes. Dem demand say make di killings stop, make dem arrest di perpetrators and dem elite sponsors at once, plus make dem compensate and reconstruct di affected communities.
Sanyaolu also point finger at President Bola Tinubu and Governor Mutfwang, as e accuse dem of turning di Nigerian state to a crime scene. “Despite di trillions wey dem budget for defence and security in di last years, di killings still dey happen over and over, and sometimes for di same communities. Dis dey raise questions about di real sponsors and protectors of di attackers,” e talk.
Di Take-It-Back Movement maintain sey di Governor Mutfwang don fail for im role as di chief security officer of di state and demand make e resign right now. Dem also call for di resignation of all security chiefs and officials wey dem blame for di incompetence and negligence wey dey lead to di massacres.
In di statement, dem write: “Since April 2023, over 2,218 Nigerians don die for Plateau State, yet di Tinubu and Mutfwang-led administration don only give tepid condemnations and dead press releases. Entire communities don dey razed, lives don shatter, and futures don dey buried, while di people wey suppose defend di citizens dey live for Villas wey security agents dey guard.”
“We declare without apology: This bloodletting must end or these regimes must go!” di statement continue. “Di Nigerian Constitution no be suggestion. Section 14(2)(b) clear say di security and welfare of di people must be di primary purpose of government. Any government wey dey watch im citizens dey slaughtered without action don lose all claim to legitimacy.”
“We don tire to mourn in silence. Di people no be lambs to be slaughtered. Dis na no governance; na complicity. Why dis killings dey happen again and again in di same areas without any intervention? With about 10 trillion naira allocated for defence and security sector, where di money go? Who dey protect di murderers?”
Di movement outline di following demands: “1. Immediate resignation of Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang. E don show gross incompetence for im duty as chief security officer of Plateau State. 2. Immediate end to di ongoing massacre for Plateau State. 3. Public arrest and trial of di perpetrators and dem elite sponsors. 4. Full compensation and rebuilding for all di affected families. 5. Resignation of all failed security chiefs and complicit officials. Di Take-It-Back Movement dey stand in solidarity with di people of Plateau and oppressed Nigerians everywhere. We dey call on all residents, and di people of Plateau State to rise against dis tragic killings. Enough is enough!”
