Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has urged the citizens in the state to take advantage of the anti-land-grabbing law to report anyone that seeks to claim their lands from them, adding that it’s for such reasons that the law was put in place by the state government.
Lalong assured the people that the government was prepared to deal with such land-grabbers according to the provisions of the law, as they are the enemies of peace and the state.
The governor stated these during the commemoration of ‘Forgiveness Day’ in Plateau State held yesterday at the Peace and Forgiveness garden in Jos.
He lamented the damage the protracted crisis in Jos has done to the fabrics of the coexistence of citizens in the city, saying: “There is no doubt that two decades of recurring violent conflicts in various parts of our state did unimaginable damage to our collective psyche and fractured age-long peaceful intra and inter group coexistence which stunted our development and growth.
“This resulted in deep-seated level of mutual distrust, suspicion and hate that characterised social relations between people of different ethno-religious groups in the state.
“It is in a bid to mitigate this situation that we set aside this day as a symbolic effort of using forgiveness which is a very powerful tool in pulling down the walls of differences that we may have against one another. It is our firm belief that until we learn to forgive, we may never really understand the blessings of God.”
Notwithstanding, the governor said there are ongoing efforts to explore pathways that would find lasting solution to the lingering security challenges in some parts of the state before he leaves office in 2023.
According to him, that include tackling land-grabbers, and ensuring that persons displaced due to crises are returned to their ancestral homes.
Lalong said: “I have also directed the Plateau Peace Building Agency to design and implement a project that will help foster social cohesion and ensure the reintegration of our segregated communities in the state. They are expected to identify and map all conflict areas and especially communities that have been sacked due to attacks. Our administration remains committed to ensuring that displaced people return to their ancestral homes.
“That is why we signed into law the anti-land-grabbing law to ensure that nobody claims the land of those who temporarily relocated from their ancestral lands due to insecurity. While we work to provide security for their safe return, I call on all citizens to take advantage of the law to report anyone who seeks to claim their land.”
On the success story, the governor said: “You will also recall that some local government areas like Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Riyom and Jos North were hot-beds of ethno-religious crisis and violent attacks, where precious lives and property were lost. I am glad to say that as at today, we have restored some level of calm and peace in those areas while work is continuing to ensure that every remaining obstacle to peace is removed.
“This feat could not have been possible without the role of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, the traditional institution, security agencies, civil society, the citizens as well as other non-state actors, who have continued to work tirelessly to rebuild the peace through trust and confidence building, dialogue, advocacy and community resilience.”
