Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau youths under the umbrella of G17 Peace and Progressive Forum, yesterday, staged a protest demanding the urgent release of youths languishing in Boko Haram captivity.
The protesters, dressed in black and drawn from 17 local government areas of the state and Southern Kaduna decried the recent execution of a 200-level student of University of Maiduguri, Ropvil Daciya by the insurgents as an attack on Plateau Christians.
Spokesman of the youths, John Baling, urged the Federal Government to facilitate the release of Bashiru Abdulhamid, a health worker and Miss Lilian Gyang, a 100-Level student of University of Maiduguri, who are still held in Boko Haram captivity.
The youths alleged that the service chiefs were not doing enough to protect lives and property even as they accused President Muhammadu Buhari of rewarding them by prolonging their stay in office, despite their shortcomings.
“We join all other well meaningful and patriotic Nigerians to call on Mr. President to immediately overhaul the nation’s security apparatus by sacking this present crop of non performing service chiefs. President Buhari must take responsibility for every act of negligence on the part of those appointed to provide leadership and direction to the nation’s security forces. He should sanction non-performance by the military high command as their failure to guarantee the safety of citizens can no longer be rewarded with lengthy or prolonged stay in office.
“The country is being brought to it’s knees by a free ranging band of terrorist.”We call on government at the state and federal levels to act now and act decisively in doing everything possible to secure the release of Bashir and Lilian as well as all other abducted citizens from different parts of the country,” Baling said.
He said the Federal Government should take urgent steps in securing all federal roads and communities, particularly those in the North East.
“As citizens, we are registering our discontent, concerns and grievances to the Plateau State and Federal Government and request that comprehensive measures should urgently be in place to secure all Plateau citizens that are schooling in Maiduguri. Government should consider redeploying the students to sister polytechnics, universities and colleges of education in and around Plateau State,” Baling said.
He said the government should not take threats issued by Boko Haram on Christians from Plateau State lightly urging that the government take proactive measures to stop the brutal killings of citizens by insurgents.