Former Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has urged the Federal Government to adopt a more responsive, compassionate and community-centered security policy.
He made the call on Monday during a condolence visit to Angwa Rukuba in Plateau State to commiserate with families affected by the recent attacks.
Adebayo, who described the incident as a painful reminder of Nigeria’s security challenges, said criminal elements had disrupted the peace of the community.
“Our brothers and sisters who are now fleeing are now sacrificial lambs for those who want to take away peace,” he said.
The former presidential candidate said the community must not lose hope, stressing that divine justice remains constant even when government response falls short.
He said, “There is God. God is always responsible, even if the government is not responsible.”
Adebayo described Plateau as central to Nigeria’s unity and heritage, adding “Plateau is a gift of God to Nigeria, and that gift will endure forever.”
He said that despite the pain and displacement, the people of Angwa Rukuba would not abandon their ancestral land.
“The people of this community are saddened and battered, but they will not leave this land. Their children, their grandchildren, their entire generations to come will still be here for millions of years,” Adebayo said.
He also condemned the attacks, describing them as “craftiness of the devil,” and insisted that such acts must prompt a more responsive and responsible government response.
According to him, moments of tragedy provide the strongest test of leadership.
“When such a lightning happens, it is the best time for government to show empathy and responsibility to come to the community, comfort the families, and prioritize the victims,” he added.
He emphasized the need for strengthened law enforcement backed by adequate intelligence, logistics, and community cooperation.
“Government must strengthen our law enforcement, give them the resources they need, and merge them with the community to form a composite security network,” Adebayo said.
He insisted that perpetrators must be tracked down.
“The criminals who came to commit this offense will not escape. We must fetch them, and we will do justice. Families will be compensated and the community will be protected,” he assured.
Adebayo, however, cautioned against politicizing the violence and killings.
“We cannot say there is politics somewhere that can excuse the killing of anyone. Killing Nigerians by anybody whether near or far cannot go unpunished,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria’s leadership must match global standards of vigilance and citizen protection.
“Governments elsewhere are vigilant and committed. That is the difference,” he said.
Adebayo urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use the incident as a turning point for improving national security coordination.
“This is an opportunity for President Bola Tinubu to be more responsive, more compassionate, more around so that people can feel that if you kill any Nigerian anywhere, the government will find you,” he said.
He equally urged Plateau State authorities to work with the Federal Government not only for political alignment but for effective security cooperation, especially in the Middle Belt which he described as “the glue holding Nigeria together.”
Adebayo added a personal reflection, revealing the deep ties between his family and the state.
“My family has been coming here for the past 100 years prospering here, some dying here,” he said.
He reiterated that only committed leadership, strong security institutions and community partnership can restore lasting peace to Plateau and other troubled regions in the country.
Responding to Prince Adewole Adebayo’s visit, the District Head of Angwa Rukuba, Haruna Bala, lamented the inadequate security presence in the area, noting that the attackers operated freely without resistance.
According to him, the incident raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of existing security structures.
“One would think some of these attacks were not work-based. There were no police around for any emergency. What happened was that they came, did what they wanted to do, and left without anybody stopping them, which is very sad,” Bala said.
The District Head appealed to security authorities, including the Inspector General of Police, to strengthen police presence in the community.
“We are calling on the authorities, and since the IG was here, we requested the upgrade of our police station or outpost. We need adequate manpower, proper equipment, and everything that a standard police station should have,” Bala stated.
He stressed that improved policing would help prevent future attacks.
“If the police station is upgraded and properly manned, it will help the police to respond quickly to any situation and prevent these things from happening again,” he added.
Bala described Angwa Rukuba (also called Mungaro) as a uniquely diverse community where Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds coexist peacefully.
“This area is a mini-Nigeria because everyone lives here. We have Yoruba, Igbo, Angas, Mwaghavul, Atyap, Anaguta, Gerom and even Uvu. People have come here to live, trade and prosper,” he said.
He said the community’s diverse and commercial nature makes security reinforcement even more urgent.
“Because we have all tribes here, and people are buying and selling to survive, government must ensure proper security to prevent future occurrences,” the District Head said.
Bala thanked the traditional rulers for their steadfastness during the crisis and expressed hope that authorities would take decisive action.
“We thank you so much. As I said, the traditional rulers have stood very well. We pray that something concrete is done so we don’t face this again,” he added.
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