Killings: NBA asks FG to empower Plateau communities for self-defence

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branches in Plateau State have issued a strong call to the federal government, urging it to empower vulnerable communities with the means to defend themselves as deadly attacks continue to ravage Bokkos and Bassa local government areas.

Speaking on behalf of NBA branches in Jos, Pankshin, Bukuru, and Shendam, Leah Dalung Hassan, Chairman of the NBA Jos Branch, expressed deep frustration over the government’s failure to secure lives and property.

At a press conference in Jos on Tuesday, Hassan condemned the increasing frequency and brutality of the attacks, stressing that Plateau residents can no longer afford to remain helpless while armed assailants strike at night, killing innocent citizens and seizing ancestral lands.

Hassan said: “The communities must be allowed to defend themselves.

“We therefore demand that the Federal Government empower vulnerable communities with self-defence mechanisms and equipment, since the security personnel we have are not enough to secure our lives.”

The NBA described the killings as not mere communal clashes but orchestrated campaigns to displace and annihilate peaceful populations—an ongoing violation of Nigeria’s Constitution and a threat to the unity and justice system of the country.

“The continued bloodletting in Plateau State under the guise of communal crises must no longer be treated with indifference or vague promises. The slogan should no longer be ‘Enough is enough,’ but rather, ‘This is enough; let’s stand up and take action,’” the statement read.

The legal body warned that without concrete steps and urgent intervention, the violence could spiral further, undermining public confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens and uphold the rule of law.