From Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau
The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has asked Plateau indigenes to toe the path of God and summon for sustainable peace within the state and beyond.
The Governor made the appeal during an investiture for recipients of Papal Knights held Saturday, at Divine Mercy Cathedral, Laminga.
Lalong said “Let me first of all thank the Lord Almighty for this great honour bestowed on me and other recipients of Papal Knights and Papal Medals. We are indeed humbled by this recognition from the Catholic Church coming from the Holy See as bestowed on us by the Holy Father Pope Francis. In receiving these Honours, we are most appreciative and count ourselves blessed to be the first Knights and Papal Medalists unveiled just when the new Catholic Archbishop of Jos and the Metropolitan of Jos Ecclesiastical Province, Bishop Matthew Ishaya Audu is stepping into the shoes of His Grace Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama who has since assumed duty as the Archbishop of Abuja”.
According to the Governor, those who involved in heinous crime often try to input religion as their motive and also to justify their evil acts as revenge on Christians or Citizens of Plateau State “we know from their antecedents that they are simply criminals who have sold themselves to evil and are bent on dividing us. I am appealing to all of us to unite in condemning their actions and also refuse to buy into their ploy to trigger hatred based on religion or State of origin”.
He said, “We are still mourning the latest ugly incident where a Student of the University of Maiduguri, Mr. Ropyil Daciya Dalep was murdered by terrorists calling themselves ISWAP. Our sympathies go to the family of the deceased and all other faithful departed. We pray that the Lord will comfort them and indeed all of us over this tragedy”.
Lalong reassures of his government’s doggedness to working with the President and security agencies in ensuring that these incidences are addressed and the citizens under captivity by terrorists, kidnappers, bandits or any other criminals are released.
He enjoined all Plateau indigenes to be vigilant, prayerful and guard communities against merchants of evil who always want to exploit religion, tribe and politics for their crimes. Peace is all we need and we must continue working for it, he concluded.
