The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described as senseless and barbaric the renewed killing of innocent Nigerians by suspected herdsmen, saying such act poses threat to peaceful coexistence in the country.
President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said in a statement in Abuja that reprisal attacks and the taste for revenge may not be the solution to problems in the country and appealed to those involved to engage in dialogue and peaceful reconciliation.
He also tasked the federal and state governments to take immediate steps to rebuild communities affected by the crisis.
Wabba said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress is deeply saddened by the renewed violence in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State and their environs leading to the killing of over 86 persons by suspected killer-herdsmen at the weekend.
“We are disturbed by the range of targets, the duration of these attacks and the scope of casualties and destruction. Even in a full scale war with another country, the statistics are numbing. ‘Therefore, for the umpteenth time we condemn these killings in their entirety.
“They are senseless and barbaric and threatened to shatter once and for all the bonds of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence.
“Accordingly, our security, though stretched, must be seen to do more to restore the confidence of the civil populace. If the emerging allegations are true that the attacks went on unchecked for hours, then something needs to be done about the reaction time of our internal security operations in the state.
“Beyond this, the Federal and Plateau State Governments in consultation with the parties to this bloody conflict should design a framework for an enduring peace.
“The governments should quickly move to rebuild these communities and restore shattered lives as well as put an end to this anarchy.
“Despite the fact that emotions understandably run high at the moment, it is important to appreciate the fact that reprisal attacks cannot bring the much needed peace. Peace lies in dialogue and in squarely addressing the underlying causes of the problem. Time to frankly talk to ourselves is now.”
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