President Tinubu Expresses Grief Over Killings In Plateau State

President Bola Tinubu expressed grief over "unfortunate" killings that took place in north-central Nigeria's Plateau and Benue states.

At least eight people, including an eight-month-old infant named Farin Lamba, were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Sunday night.

Tinubu's Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Dele Alake read a statement on Tuesday, revealing that this is the "most unfortunate that in this orgy of violence, an innocent eight-month-old baby in Farin Lamba community of Vwang District, Jos South Local Government, died in a conflict she knew nothing about," Punch reported.

In the statement, titled "Plateau killings: we must break this cycle of violence," the president called these attacks needless and avoidable.

"A major consequence of perennial conflict is always the tragic loss of innocent lives," he said. "To build virile, peaceful, and prosperous communities demand tolerance and forgiveness for every perceived wrongdoing."

Tinubu urged all the religious leaders, traditional rulers, socio-cultural organizations, and community leaders alongside the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Jama'atu Nasril Islam, and the Christian Association of Nigeria to join hands in order to ensure long-lasting peace in the country.

"While reaffirming his government's strong determination to stamp out violent crimes and all forms of criminalities everywhere in Nigeria, the President has directed security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the dastardly acts to face the full wrath of the law," Alake added.

The statement came after Sunday attacks during which several houses were also burnt. A non-profit organization, Berom Youth Moulders' spokesperson, Rwang Tengwong, shared that the attack took place when people were sleeping.

"At about 9:45 p.m. on Sunday night, eight persons, including an eight-month-old baby, were murdered by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen at Farin Lamba, Vwang District of Jos South Local Government Area," Tengwong said, PremiumTimes reported.

He added, "This is as the bandits continue to unleash terror on innocent citizens in some communities of Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State in renewed attacks since after the 2023 General Elections."

Tengwong further shared that the "eight-month-old baby who was murdered with her father was said to be returning from the hospital when they met their untimely death," adding that before this unprovoked attack, several communities in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South and Mangu Local Government Area have gone through "the deliberate destruction of farmlands and provocative grazing of over 300 hectares of land."

Moreover, the spokesperson said that there have been daily ambushes and killings of innocent people.

Nigeria has been affected by several internal conflicts including the Boko Haram insurgency, which started in 2009 while the Nigerian bandit conflict began in 2011. The attacks from bandits increased in the early 2020s. In April 2022, more than 150 were killed in Plateau State by a gang of bandits