NOW HEAR THIS Nigerians all over the world especially Plateau State inhabitants. ” We Newstimeworldwide admonished them in 2009 ( prevention is better and cheaper than cure ) but thrust their fingers into their ears and covered their eyes with their garments. “

NOW HEAR THIS Nigerians all over the world especially Plateau State inhabitants. ” We Newstimeworldwide admonished them in 2009 ( prevention is better and cheaper than cure ) but thrust their fingers into their ears and covered their eyes with their garments. “

NOW HEAR THIS – July 16th 2009

NOW HEAR THIS – July 16th 2009, we ( Newstimeworldwide ) admonish them ” Prevention is better and Cheaper than Cure. ” They laughed, scoffed and mocked us to scorn. We told them ” laugh now but you will cry much later. ” It has come to pass. To Almighty GOD ALLAH JEHOVAH alone be all the glory. — Newstimeworldwide

Plateau has drawn a line, and it is an important one. But when government draws such a line, the people deserve to know exactly what happened on the other side of it.

The Governor’s directive against unauthorised Hisbah activities in Jos North should not be reduced to another Christian-versus-Muslim argument. That would completely miss the point.

If a group, under whatever name, has been intimidating residents, extorting people, imposing rules, restricting movement or enforcing its own version of morality without lawful authority, then the issue is no longer about religion. It is about who has the authority to exercise power over citizens.

Religion cannot confer police powers.

Ethnicity cannot confer police powers.

Community influence cannot confer police powers.

And neither can self-appointed vigilantes.

But there is another side to this matter that we must not ignore.

These are serious allegations. Therefore, the government also has a responsibility to establish the facts and present them clearly to the public.

Where did this group operate?

Who were the victims?

When did these incidents occur?

What exactly was extorted or imposed?

Who are the individuals involved?

Who formed or sponsored the group?

And what evidence does the government have to support these allegations?

These are not unreasonable questions. They are the natural questions citizens should ask when their government announces arrests over alleged activities that have potentially serious religious and communal implications.

If the allegations are established, those responsible should face the law. But the investigation should not stop with those carrying out the instructions. The authorities should establish who formed the group, who financed it, who encouraged it, who supplied its operational support and how it managed to operate before the government intervened.

At the same time, we must be careful not to stigmatise an entire religious community because of allegations against individuals.

Plateau belongs equally to the Christian, the Muslim, the traditionalist and the person who practises no religion at all.

The same law that protects a Muslim from religious intimidation must protect a Christian from religious intimidation. And the same law must protect a Muslim from unlawful harassment by a Christian group or anyone else.

The principle should be simple: there can only be one legitimate authority with the power to enforce the law, and that authority must itself operate within the law.

Anything else is a recipe for anarchy.

But the rule of law also means something else: government must be accountable for the claims it makes in the name of public safety.

We have seen enough in this country of allegations becoming facts simply because they came from an official podium, and we have also seen genuine security threats dismissed because people demanded evidence before believing them.

We should do neither.

Our Muslim brothers and sisters should not be made to carry the burden of allegations against individuals. Neither should Christians, traditional communities or any other group be collectively judged because of the actions of some of their members.

Plateau has paid a very heavy price for allowing legitimate grievances to become communal suspicion. We should not repeat that mistake.

So let the government investigate and, where necessary, arrest and prosecute. But let it also tell the people what it knows and show us the basis for what it is alleging.

That is not undermining government.

That is what responsible citizenship looks like.

Investigate. Establish the facts. Protect the innocent. Punish those who broke the law. Find the sponsors, if there are any. And above all, do not allow this matter to become another excuse for dividing Plateau along religious or ethnic lines.

Plateau is bigger than any of us. It is our shared inheritance, and ultimately, it is what we will leave behind.

Solomon Dalung Esq.

In This Biography

Preacher of Peace Worldwide

LEADERSHIP BY TONY OYATEDOR

Join Mr. Tony Oyatedor Weekly on Adure Radio

DAVE’S SEAFOOD