Alli Rejects Sokoto Caliphate's Intervention In Plateau
From Isa Abdulsalami, Jos
A request by the Sokoto Caliphate for a role in the peace process in Plateau State has been rejected by the Sole Administrator, Maj. Gen. Chris Alli (rtd).
Alli said he took the decision because the people of the state were capable of solving their problems without external influence.
The administrator revealed this yesterday while addressing the Plateau Elders' Forum at the Government House, Rayfield in Jos, the state capital. He added that a serving minister had made similar overture, which he rebuffed.
Also the special court raised to try suspects in the series of ethnic and religious crises began sitting yesterday.
Thirty-seven persons on various charges were arraigned before the court.
Alli further said the traditional rulers in the state had since embarked on reconciliation mission, visiting domains other than theirs to ensure that peace returned to the state, stressing that an external intervention in resolving the internal crisis was uncalled for.
"Accepting the offer would have tarnished the image and integrity of the traditional rulers. I have the conviction that the people of the state have the collective will and capacity they want," he stated.
"If outsiders come to mediate in the peace process, the integrity of traditional rulers in the state would be tarnished."
Alli also advised the elders to be united and condemned the situation where they spoke in their different groups with discordant voices.
He assured the visitors that the people of the state would triumph at the end of the state of emergency and urged them to work for the return of peace to the state.
When the suspects appeared at the Upper Area Court Kabong, Jos, the Judge, Mrs. Justice Patrick Dapit did not take any plea.
After listening to the submissions by the counsel, he ordered the suspect to be remanded in prison custody to enable the police complete their investigations.
The charge ranged from criminal conspiracy, theft mischief, trespass, arson, culpable homicide, rioting to being in possession of dangerous weapons.
In all the cases, the prosecutor Mr. Gabriel Onu argued that the offences allegedly committed by the suspects were so grave that they did not deserve to be granted bail.
The court, consequently adjourned hearing of the cases to August 24, 2004.
Meanwhile, some prominent indigenes of the Middle Belt are divided on whether the region should break away from the North.
A member representing Langtang North/Langtang South in the Houses of Representatives Mr. Victor Lar said severance from the North would give the Middle Belt an identity and autonomy.
But a former senatorial candidate in Plateau Mr. Yohanna Dalyop, believes those who are calling for the zone to break away from the North are looking for an easy way out.
Lar said: "I agree that it is a quest for identity arising from increasing wave of marginalisation and the sharp sensibility of our increasing religious differences.
"But all these are functions of the process of civilisation and development. The Middle Belt, yes is a geo-political zone in itself, but I am not sure that in terms of geography and history and the reality of our social existence, we can sever ourselves from the North."
Dalyop, however, said anybody who canvassed severance of Middle Belt from the North based on the so-called marginalisation was not addressing the issue squarely.
"I cannot see anybody mnarginalising Plateau or the Middle Belt or is anybody collecting the share of the revenue from President Olusegun Obasanjo' he quipped.
"You see, some of these complaints are baseless. They are just assumed on nothing. What has the core North taken away from the Middle Belt Have they taken away our educated people You know the skilled manpower of the North is from the Middle Belt. Like it or leave it."
