As killings and insecurity continue to plague Plateau State, the four branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the state have called on the Federal Government to allow residents to defend themselves against violent attacks. The lawyers said the time has come for action, not just words, urging government authorities to empower communities with self-defence tools in light of the worsening security situation.
The call was made on Tuesday during a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Jos. Leaders of the Jos, Pankshin, Bukuru, and Shendam branches of the NBA were all present to issue a unified statement of concern and condemnation over the recent killings in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas, which have left scores of people dead and many others displaced.
Speaking on behalf of the four branches, Chairperson of the Jos Branch, Leah Dagung Hassan, said the legal community in Plateau is heartbroken by the continued violence and the government’s slow response to the crisis.
“It is utterly heart-wrenching that while Plateau State is yet to recover from the horror and pain of previous attacks, our peace is once again shattered by another wave of senseless and barbaric killings,” she said. “These acts of violence are a direct assault on our shared humanity, the rule of law, and the fundamental right to life as enshrined in our Constitution.”
Hassan stated that the NBA in Plateau is aligning with the position of the national NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), who recently urged the Federal Government to take its constitutional duty of protecting Nigerian lives more seriously.
In a powerful shift in rhetoric, the NBA branches rejected what they called the “worn-out” slogan of Enough is Enough. Instead, they declared, *“This is enough, and let us stand up and take action.”*
According to Hassan, “The time for silence is over. The federal government must allow residents, especially in vulnerable communities, to defend themselves. If the security personnel are not enough, then communities must be given the means to protect themselves.”
She called for the Federal Government to deploy more security agents with clear mandates to protect lives and property in areas under constant threat. She also emphasized the need for quick and visible justice, saying, “Security agents must go beyond mere rhetoric and ensure swift prosecution of perpetrators.”
In addition to self-defence rights, the Plateau NBA branches renewed the call for the creation of state police. Hassan argued that each state should be allowed to establish and equip its own police force that can respond quickly and effectively to local security issues.
“States should be allowed to establish state police, who will be properly armed and empowered to protect their people,” she said.
The NBA also demanded that those arrested for these crimes should be prosecuted within Plateau State, instead of being transferred to Abuja — a practice they say leads to silence and lack of justice.
“When suspects are taken to Abuja, we never hear anything again. It appears they are just released. This must stop. Justice must be served, and it must be seen to be done,” she insisted.
The legal practitioners rejected narratives describing the attacks as communal clashes, stressing that the violence is deliberate, planned, and intended to wipe out innocent people from their ancestral lands.
“This is not a communal clash as some would want to portray. These are organized attacks on people sleeping in their homes at night, by wicked men who have no regard for human life,” Hassan said.
She lamented that innocent people are being killed and displaced, with their lands taken over by invaders. “We cannot continue to watch our people become strangers in their own ancestral homes,” she added.
The NBA branches also called for urgent humanitarian assistance for survivors, especially women and children who have been affected by the attacks. They urged both the state and federal governments to provide relief materials, shelter, and proper rehabilitation for displaced persons.
“There must be immediate efforts to resettle displaced communities and help them return to their normal lives. Relief and rehabilitation must be prioritised,” Hassan said.
The lawyers urged the Inspector-General of Police and other security chiefs to treat the security situation in Plateau State as an emergency and take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed.
They also called on the National Assembly to prioritise constitutional reforms that would enable state policing and community security initiatives, arguing that Nigeria’s current centralised policing system is inadequate to handle widespread violence across diverse regions.
Plateau State has witnessed multiple deadly attacks in recent months, particularly in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas. According to local sources, gunmen invaded communities at night, killing residents, burning homes, and forcing survivors to flee.
The spate of violence has reignited national debate over land disputes, religious and ethnic tensions, and the failure of federal security agencies to protect vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Over the weekend, reports emerged that more than 70 people were killed in coordinated attacks, with thousands displaced. Civil society groups and faith-based organisations have also condemned the killings, staging peaceful protests and calling for a state of emergency.
