By Jude Opara Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has charged the federal government to always adopt a security policy that is more responsive, compassionate and community-centered.
Prince Adebayo who spoke when he paid a condolence visit to Angwa Rukuba in Plateau state to commiserate with families affected by the recent attacks, described the incident as a painful reminder of Nigeria’s security challenges, even as he regretted that criminal elements have continued to disrupt the peace of the country.
The former presidential candidate said that the community must not lose hope, stressing that divine justice remains constant even when government response falls short.
“Our brothers and sisters who are now fleeing are now sacrificial lambs for those who want to take away peace. But we know that there is God, who is always responsible, even if the government is not responsible,” he said.
The SDP leader described Plateau as central to Nigeria’s unity and heritage, describing it as a gift of God to Nigeria, which will endure forever.
Adebayo who described the attacks as “craftiness of the devil”, said despite the pain and displacement, the people of Angwa Rukuba would not abandon their ancestral land.
“The people of this community are saddened and battered, but they will not leave this land. Their children, their grandchildren, their entire generations to come will still be here for millions of years,” he said.
According to him, moments of tragedy provide the strongest test of leadership, just as he called on the government to show concern by ending these incessant attacks.
“When such a lightning happens, it is the best time for government to show empathy and responsibility to come to the community, comfort the families, and prioritize the victims,” he added.
He emphasized the need for strengthened law enforcement backed by adequate intelligence, logistics, and community cooperation.
“Government must strengthen our law enforcement, give them the resources they need, and merge them with the community to form a composite security network,” Adebayo said.
He insisted that perpetrators must be tracked down.
“The criminals who came to commit this offense will not escape. We will fetch them, and we will do justice. Families will be compensated and the community will be protected,” he assured.
The presidential hopeful further urged President Bola Tinubu to use the incident as a turning point for improving national security coordination.
“This is an opportunity for President Bola Tinubu to be more responsive, more compassionate, more around so that people can feel that if you kill any Nigerian anywhere, the government will find you,” he said.
Responding, the District Head of Angwa Rukuba, Haruna Bala, lamented the inadequate security presence in the area, noting that the attackers operated freely without resistance.
Bala said the incident has once again called to question the incident raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of existing security structures.
“One would think some of these attacks were not work-based. There were no police around for any emergency. What happened was that they came, did what they wanted to do, and left without anybody stopping them, which is very sad,” he said.
The District Head appealed to security authorities, including the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to strengthen police presence in the community.
“We are calling on the authorities, and since the IG was here, we requested the upgrade of our police station or outpost. We need adequate manpower, proper equipment, and everything that a standard police station should have,” Bala concluded.
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