The executive secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC, Rev Dr. Yakubu Pam, has said Plateau state “needs help to cushion the effects of the prolonged crises that have ravaged the state since 2001.”
According to a press statement issued by the media aide to the NCPC boss, Ayuba Pam, Rev Pam said this while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Kamkur Samuel Foundation (KSF), Plateau Peace Conference Tuesday at the SARAU Event Centre in Jos.
He said the state had witnessed crises that had left thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) without food, clothing or shelter scattered in different IDPs camps in the state.
The NCPC boss said the events of the recent past where many people were killed in different crises spots between July and August this year took place while he was performing the 2020 pilgrimage in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
He said many people believed the crisis that broke up in Jos in 2001 would have ended in two to three days but it has prolonged to over 20 years, a situation he said, was regrettable.
He said for the crises to end all Plateau elite must come together to speak with one voice and shun violent acts that usually ended up in ethnic motivated speeches and sentiments.
“It’s time to come together and speak with one voice. We must end these crises. Anything can happen with anybody and the need for us to come together so that Plateau will bounce back again.
Speaking on the topic ‘Peaceful Coexistence’, he said there were many crises that existed in the world, but “over 60 per cent of leaders are responsible for the deep problems we have in prolonging the Jos crises.”
“Leaders must speak for all and not for one side alone. To end the crises, we must learn some lessons from the Kingdom of Jordan.
“Jordan has 10 per cent Christians, but they live in complete harmony with their bigger Muslim population. You can’t differentiate a Muslim from a Christian even in their government set-ups. We must see humanity in people. We must stop retaliation and encourage our youth to be engaged in meaningful ventures.
“We can move forward if we all make research into the lingering problems of Jos and how we can handle them like Jordan who has 10% Christians and they’re living peacefully. He said the most important thing is that they’re all Jordanians.”
Rev Pam said the road map to achieving peace in Plateau state “is we must run away from revenge. He decried the way and manner killing has been assumed as normal where a whole household can be wiped out.”
