Plateau attacks: Nigerians must not get used to killings — Northern Christians

The Northern Christian Association (NCA) has warned that Nigerians must not become so accustomed to violence that the death of innocent citizens is gradually treated as an ordinary occurrence.

The association, while condemning the latest attacks across communities in Plateau State, which reportedly claimed at least nine lives, including that of a pastor on his way to church, further underscored the urgent need for the government and security agencies to move beyond reactive responses and adopt more proactive measures capable of preventing attacks before they occur.

In a statement signed and issued to journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday by the NCA Chairman, Rev Joseph John Hayab, the association expressed concern over the recurring violence and its devastating consequences for families, communities and livelihoods, stressing that the situation must not be allowed to continue.

According to the NCA, every life lost represents a human tragedy that should command the attention of government and the wider society. It stressed that the repeated nature of such attacks should concern every Nigerian, irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differences, because the sanctity of human life must remain a shared national value.

“Recent attacks reportedly occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning across parts of Barkin Ladi, Riyom and neighbouring communities. Five people travelling towards Gana-Ropp in Barkin Ladi were reportedly killed when their vehicle came under attack, while a pastor and another person were killed on their way to church at Dorowa Babuje. Separate attacks were also reported at Baten Wereng and Ratyidi.

“Is that how lives have become so cheap that they can now be taken at will?

“Nigerians must not get used to killings. Every life matters. We cannot continue to wake up to reports of innocent people being killed and gradually accept such incidents as part of our normal existence. Every life lost is a national tragedy and deserves our collective concern,” Hayab said.

The northern Christian body said Nigerians must not allow the frequency of killings to diminish their sense of compassion, noting that every victim leaves behind relatives, friends and communities that must live with the consequences long after the immediate news cycle has passed.

While commending the Federal and Plateau State governments, as well as security personnel who continue to risk their lives in the service of citizens, Hayab urged the authorities to urgently review the security situation in vulnerable parts of the state and strengthen measures aimed at identifying and neutralising threats before they escalate into attacks.

He said that while increased deployment of security personnel could provide temporary reassurance to affected communities, the long-term objective should be to build a security system capable of detecting threats early, responding swiftly to credible intelligence and preventing attackers from gaining access to vulnerable communities.

The NCA chairman also stressed the importance of closer collaboration between security agencies and local residents, noting that communities must be treated as critical partners in the fight against insecurity rather than merely as victims awaiting intervention after attacks have occurred.

“Residents are often the first to notice unusual movements, suspicious activities and emerging threats in their communities. Such information could help security agencies prevent attacks if reliable channels are created for reporting intelligence and appropriate action is taken promptly,” the statement said.

The association further called for thorough investigations into the separate attacks and urged security agencies to ensure that those found responsible are arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

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It also condoled with the families of those killed, the affected communities and the Plateau State Government, while urging authorities to provide the necessary support to victims and residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by the violence.

The NCA said the recurring attacks should serve as a reminder that the protection of citizens cannot be measured only by the response that follows an incident, but also by the ability of security institutions to anticipate threats, prevent attacks and guarantee the safety of communities.

The association therefore urged all stakeholders to work collectively towards restoring confidence among residents, protecting vulnerable communities and ensuring that the loss of innocent lives does not become another statistic in Nigeria’s security narrative.