Berom elders demand implementation all reports on Plateau

President Goodluck Jonathan held an exploratory meeting with the northern elders from Berom, an ethnic group in Plateau State in the State House late Monday night, on ways to address the killings plaguing the state.

The elders, led by former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs and Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Buba Gyang, urged the Federal Government to act on all the reports that have been submitted on the resolution of the crisis.

About four reports by different ad-hoc committee set up by the federal government to investigate and proffer solutions to the Plateau crises, exists.

The last report was the 339-paged report that was submitted in 2009 by the committee led by the former Judge of the International Court of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola’s Commission of Inquiry.

The commission was set up following the crisis over council election in Jos North Local Government Area, which claimed several lives.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting which lasted till almost midnight from 9.30PM, the Gbong Gwon Jos said, the crisis cannot continue indefinitely with no solution in sight, insisting that both ethnic groups must talk and proffer amicable solution that will end the killings and destruction of properties.

The President is scheduled to meet with the Hausa/Fulani ethic group tonight (Tuesday) after which they will be expected to submit their own report which will be studied before a general meeting of both communities with the President on a yet to be fixed date.

The Berom is one of the ethnic groups that have suffered major attacks and killings in the violence that has ravaged the Plateau in the last four years.

It will be recalled that there was total breakdown of law and order in Plateau state following the massacre of more than 140 other persons by suspected herdsmen on July 8th where the Berom people had gathered for the mass burial of 64 persons allegedly killed by the Fulani ethnic militia.