Renowned elder statesman Edwin Clark has penned an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, calling for the restructuring of the country in the wake of the horrific massacre in Plateau State that claimed over 200 lives on the eve of Christmas.
Expressing deep dismay over the senseless slaughter that marred the festive season, Clark highlighted the dire need for restructuring as the only viable solution to address such unprovoked violence.
Clark commended President Tinubu’s swift response to the incident, acknowledging the deployment of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who vowed that those responsible for the massacre would not escape justice.
He said: “It is with dismay that Nigerians woke up in the morning, ready to embrace the Christmas festivities, only to be confronted with horrifying news of senseless slaughter of Plateau natives.
“Numerous innocent lives, including those of children, were tragically taken. This dreadful incident has been extensively covered by various Nigerian media, as well as foreign papers, such as the London Guardian, which reported a death toll of 150 on December 26, 2023, while the exact number of victims was still uncertain in Nigeria.
“I commend the President for his response to the incident by sending the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, who promised that ‘those agents of death, pain and sorrow will not escape justice’.
“Let me recall that in the past, cattle owners would often reach amicable agreements with the community regarding their desire to rear cattle for the season.
“As a result of these agreements, the cattle would graze in the area, and at the end of the season, the leaves and manure left behind by the cattle became highly beneficial to the community farmers.
“However, the situation of the old system has changed due to the intervention of politicians, who now insist on the Fulanis claiming ownership of land that rightfully belongs to others.”
The elder statesman stressed that this has been happening for the past two decades, with armed Fulani herders deliberately targeting and displacing the people.
Clark regretted the fact that the Federal Government has not taken decisive action to address this genocide in a country where the 1999 Constitution is being ignored and violated, leaving Nigerian citizens to abandon their homes for invaders to occupy, seeking refuge in camps.
He claimed that some politicians have been sponsoring the dangerous herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles, which is known by authorities.
He said that was made known by the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai when he openly asserted that the authorities knew these invaders and where they were.
