The General Officer Commanding 3 Division of Nigerian army and Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) Major General Folusho Oyinlola has attributed the renewed killings in Plateau State to a tragedy fueled by long-standing grievances, mistrust, and failed leadership.

Gen Oyinlola disclosed this during a high-level stakeholders meeting conveyed by the GOC to review the activities of the recent killing of over 100 residents in Plateau communities.

While addressing stakeholders during the meeting, Gen Oyinlola said, ?We are gathered today at the headquarters of OPSH, 3 Division Nigerian Army, in an urgent effort to de-escalate tensions and prevent further bloodshed in communities rocked by ongoing attacks.

?The high-level engagement followed nearly two weeks of deadly violence in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas, where over 100 people have reportedly been killed and more than 2,000 displaced, according to emergency responders.

?This meeting brought together top government officers, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community representatives, and security agencies to brainstorm and find solutions.

?No doubt, the current wave of attacks is a tragedy fueled by long-standing grievances, mistrust, and failed leadership. We are at a critical point where silence has become complicity, and inaction, dangerous. No grievance, no matter how deep, justifies murder,? he stated,

Oyinlola, who assured that military operations were already underway to hunt down those behind the attacks, criticised the failure of some leaders to rein in their followers and called for renewed commitment to dialogue and reconciliation.

?This stakeholders? meeting is not a formality?it is a call to action. Let us talk to one another, not take up arms. Peace is not a favour; it is a necessity for survival.?

Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-Central), Abiodun Essiet, expressed deep sympathy for affected families and emphasised the federal government?s commitment to peace building efforts.

?Lives have been lost, homes destroyed, and livelihoods shattered,? she said. ?But I am hopeful because today?s gathering signals a shared determination to break the cycle of violence.?

Essiet highlighted past reconciliation efforts and urged stakeholders to tap into traditional dispute resolution mechanisms and inclusive dialogue. She announced plans by the presidency to launch a Community Peace Initiative and an Inter-Religious and Inter-Tribal Town Hall Meeting in Plateau and other North Central states later this month. (The Nation: Text, Excluding Headline)

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