Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Muslims in Plateau State have pledged their support for the state Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, wholeheartedly, as they condemned recent attacks in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Muslim Ummar, who paid a solidarity visit to the governor, the Emir of Wase, Alhaji Muhammadu Sambo Haruna, said: “I can assure you that the Muslim Ummar in Plateau State are behind you, 99.9 percent even though we may be having one or two bad eggs within us, which is obtainable anywhere.
“Your Excellency, we are your partners in progress, and we call on you to go back to what our forefathers were doing-ensuring that not anybody that comes to our community would just be allowed to settle down among us without knowing much about them.
“I see there are certain things that were done in the past to ensure that the government has control through the local government or traditional institutions; things like the community tax and cattle tax. With this, one will identify where the person is coming from and where he’s going.
“In the past, people didn’t come into our communities anyhow; the prominent chiefs from where they came would give them a letter to the chiefs of the communities they came into.
“We cannot continue to live this way where people are being killed every time, and property destroyed.”
While responding, Mutfwang said: “While some people have tried to malign me and to suggest that I don’t like Muslims, the evidence on ground is contrary, and I want to assure my Muslim brothers from the depth of my heart that I love you and I mean well for you.
“God is the God of justice and fairness. I have never seen rain falling one the house of one man while his neighbour is denied. Have you ever seen it? God allows rain to fall on everybody, and so it will be foolish of me to deny you what belongs to you. There’s no need.
“Within the limits of our resources, we will continue to ensure that we are fair to all. And that is why, despite the challenges we are facing, we know what it means to several of you as Muslims to perform the pilgrimage.
“I want to assure you that with your cooperation, we’ll return Plateau State to what it used to be. Plateau State is a land of peace. And we will fight all those who want to take away that testimony of the peaceful people from us.
“Thank God the emir has permitted me today. All the enemies of peace will not survive on the Plateau. We will join hands together and ensure that those people who do not want us to live in peace, they will not find peace.”
