Gyang Bere, Jos
The Executive Secretary Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) and Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern Nigeria, Rev Yakubu Pam said the Commission would hold a peace summit in Plateau with a view to halting the renewed killings of villagers and traditional rulers in the State.
He regretted the killing of five persons in Vwang District, a traditional ruler in Barkin-Ladi and six persons, including a traditional ruler in Wereng Village of Riyom Local Government Area in early October.
Rev Pam disclosed this on Saturday during condolence visits to families of deceased victims in Jos, Plateau State.
‘Peace is not magic, it is not something that you can achieve in a day; my appeal is that we should remain focused because there are people who are bent on ensuring that we do not achieve peace,’ Rev Pam stated.
‘These people are bent on frustrating the peace effort in Plateau and Nigeria but we will continue to move on, we will continue to appeal to people to be calm. I have put a call to the affected communities and we will come back by the weekend and have a peace meeting on Saturday.
‘We will hold farmers/herders meeting with security personnel, all the 17 Local Government Chairmen, and people from the affected communities. We have held this meeting in the past and discussions were fruitful and it shows that the effort is not by one individual but a collective one.’
Rev Pam insisted that the peace and unity of Plateau State should be a collective project which he believed would entrenched lasting peace in the country.
‘The unity of Plateau State is very paramount to everyone and whatever will unite us and make us be one family is a project worth doing. That is why we desire to visit our people who lost their loved ones.
‘This is part of building relationships, building Plateau to be one..,’ he said.