Shettima: Perpetrators of Plateau killings’ll face full force of law

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday, December 27, assured that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would not rest on its oars until victims of the gruesome attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State get justice.

“Your blood, your tears, and your cries stain our collective conscience. We are here for you, we are here, resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of these mindless killings face the full force of the law,” the vice president said.

Shettima gave the assurance when he paid a condolence visit to the affected communities in the state, according to a statement issued by the spokesman of the Vice-President, Stanley Nkwocha.

The vice president, who condoled with the people and Plateau State government over the incident, vowed that the killings in the state and other parts of the country must stop.

“Please accept our heartfelt condolences, accept our deepest apologies; we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe,” he assured.

Shettima informed the people about how heart-broken his principal, President Tinubu, had been since he received news of the gory incident.

“President Tinubu is deeply shaken by this tragedy and shares in this unspeakable sorrow that has shattered the joy of Christmas across the country.

“When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics.

“The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences,” he added

He acknowledged the fact that it was an indescribable nightmare to bury families, describing it as a rare experience that is much more unbearable than the pain of losing one or two loved ones.

“We cannot fathom the depth of this grief beyond the experience of the bereaved. We can only offer to assuage your pain.

“What has happened to you is a funeral for the entire nation. Our hearts bleed alongside yours, our dear brothers and sisters in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and all over Plateau State,” he said.

Shettima assured the people that the Tinubu administration was out to protect them and ensure justice.

Tinubu condemns Plateau killings, orders culprits’ arrest

“Even though it may appear as if the government has failed them in their time of serious need, justice is the path to collective safety, unity, and healing of the nation.

“We came to power promising to uphold the sanctity of every citizen’s life, and now is the time to reassure you that this inter-community violence, which has hijacked the humanity and serenity of this beautiful state over the past decades, will never persist under our watch.

“We will harness all our resources to bring those responsible to justice; we will not rest until we are able to prevent the recurrence of these heinous acts.”

Shettima, however, appealed to the people of the state to resist the temptation to succumb to sectional divisions or the poisonous rhetoric of hatred towards their fellow citizens.

He also reassured that the government was set out to ensure justice and security for them.

“This violence persists due to this dangerous practice of treating criminals as ambassadors of their group, where the law is taken into our hands, and where protection fails.

“But this is not the case now. This is a promise,” Shettima assured.

The Star