By Abdul Abdul, Jos
As the as farming season commences, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army Jos and Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, on Friday vowed to deal decisively with terrorists and bandits planning to disrupt farming activities in Plateau State.
General Abubakar also said that the Nigerian Army will ultimately capture all the criminal involved in attacks on Plateau communities, particularly in Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos, and Mangu Local Government Areas (LGAs), adding that rewards have been put in place for individuals with useful information to help unravel the criminals.
Said the GOC: “We recently released a list of wanted persons involved in attacks in Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State with cash rewards for any useful information leading to their capture. We must collectively rid our communities of actions that threaten food security.”
The Special Task Force Commander spoke during a one-day peace summit organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council in collaboration with Operation Safe Haven, held in Gwol Hotel in Barkin-Ladi LGA.
The peace summit titled “Promoting Inter-Ethnic and Interreligious Dialogue: Towards Ensuring Food Security In Plateau State” was attended by youths from Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos, Jos South and Riyom LGAs respectively.
Represented by Sector 4 Commander of OPSH, Colonel Usman Abdulsalam, the GOC admitted that the summit is apt and timely as Nigeria continued experiencing food shortage.
According to him: “I am confident that this summit will yield the desired outcome of ensuring food security in our various communities. Let me use this medium to highlight that Operation Safe Haven has continued to employ robust non-kinetic strategies towards ensuring food security in Plateau State and the nation in general.
“We have brought critical stakeholders from across Plateau, Kaduna, and Bauchi States together to dialogue and develop modalities for a secure and peaceful farming system”.
The guest speaker at the event, Reverend Father Stephen Akpe, argued that the age-long disrespects for human beings accorded to food and environment are some of the factors responsible for excruciating hunger being witnessed in the country.
Father Akpe, a mediator and conflict resolution expert, charged government at all levels and community leaders to develop a policy to protect food, noting that “hunger doesn’t know religion or tribe.”
In his welcome remarks, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ Plateau State Council, Polycarp Auta, acknowledged that the summit aimed at complementing the efforts of Plateau State government and security agents towards peaceful coexistence and food security.
Auta said: “This summit is part of our modest contribution towards the peace efforts of the state government and the security agencies, particularly the Operation Safe Heaven.
“Beyond reporting security issues, we felt the need to bring young people of different tribes and religions, from troubled communities in Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South local government areas to fashion out best ways towards peaceful coexistence.
“As the farming season sets in, and Plateau being an agricultural hub, we also wish to use this medium to remind ourselves of the looming food insecurity in the country and the desire to develop a collective approach that will allow farmers to cultivate enough food to feed the state and the nation in general. This, therefore, informs the choice of the topic for this summit.”
The event climaxed in a group photograph of the participants and the NUJ officials.
