Vice-President Kashim Shettima has warned against ethnic profiling and the collective blame of communities for violent attacks in Plateau State, insisting that those responsible for the killings have no tribe or religion.
Speaking on Saturday at the 80th birthday celebration and public presentation of the autobiography of former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang in Jos, Shettima urged residents, particularly young people, to reject inherited hatred and embrace peace, forgiveness and reconciliation.
“Criminals have no tribe or religion,” the Vice-President said.
“Those carrying out these atrocities have no mandate from any community. They represent no religion, no ethnicity and no culture. When innocent people are condemned for the sins of criminals, we deepen our divisions and hand victory to those who profit from violence.”
Shettima expressed concern that many young people in Plateau were burdened by conflicts they neither started nor understood, urging community leaders and elders to guide them towards reconciliation.
“The young men and women of Plateau have inherited baggage they did not create. They carry the grievances of a generation they never met and the quarrels of a history they never wrote.
“Tell them what hatred costs. Show them that forgiveness is the hardest labour a strong man ever undertakes and the only virtue greater than revenge.”
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he added: “The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Lamenting the impact of years of violence on communities across Plateau, Shettima said the attacks had turned “fertile lands into places of mourning” and replaced trust with fear, while commending residents for refusing to surrender to violence.
He appealed to elder statesmen, particularly Senator Jang, to continue mentoring younger generations and promoting peaceful coexistence.
“Baba, give them your ears, your patience and the wisdom of a guardian. Those who have earned the right to be heard on this subject must continue to speak,” he said.
Describing Plateau as a state of strategic importance to Nigeria’s history and security, Shettima paid tribute to Jang for his decades of public service, saying lasting leadership is measured by its impact on people’s lives rather than the offices held.
He prayed for God’s continued grace upon the former governor and urged Nigerians to remain united in building a country where peace, justice and security prevail over division and violence.
