Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday assured Nigerians that the Bola Tinubu administration will ensure that victims of attacks in Plateau State communities get justice and the residents’ lives and property are safe and secured.
A statement in Abuja by his spokesman Stanley Nkwocha said Shettima gave the assurance when he visited Barkin-Ladi and Bokkos local government areas of Plateau State to condole with the people and government over the killings.
He said,
“Now, please, accept our heartfelt condolences. Please, accept our deepest apologies because we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe.”
Shettima stressed that the President “is deeply shaken by this tragedy and shares in this unspeakable sorrow that has shattered the joy of Christmas across the country”.
He added,
“When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics. The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences.”
The Vice President described the attacks as nightmarish, saying it was traumatising to bury family members in such a circumstance.
“We cannot fathom the depth of this grief beyond the experience of the bereaved. We can only offer to assuage your pain. What has happened to you is a funeral for the entire nation. Our hearts bleed alongside yours, our dear brothers and sisters in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and all over Plateau State,” he said.
Shettima assured the people that the Tinubu administration would protect them and ensure justice, though it might appear to some people that the government had failed them in their time of serious need.
The Vice President stressed that justice is the path to collective safety, unity, and healing of the nation.
“We came to power promising to uphold the sanctity of every citizen’s life. Now is the time to reassure you that this inter-community violence, which has hijacked the humanity and serenity of this beautiful state over the past decades, will never persist under our watch.
“We will harness all our resources to bring those responsible to justice. We will not rest until we are able to prevent the recurrence of these heinous acts.
“Your blood, your tears, and your cries stain our collective conscience. We are here for you; we are here, resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of these mindless killings face the full force of the law,” he said.