The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Plateau State branch, has raised the alarm that hospitals and mortuaries in the state are overwhelmed with the rising number of injured persons and corpses from the recent attacks and killings in the state.
The concern was raised in a statement released on Thursday, signed by NMA Chairman, Dr. Innocent Emmanuel, and Secretary, Dr. Bapiga’an William, in Jos.
The association said it was saddened by the persistent and vicious killing in the state, stressing that the victims of these unwarranted attacks continue to populate hospitals’ emergency wards and mortuaries in the state.
The NMA also pointed out that the killings were affecting the physical and psychological wellbeing of the masses across the state.
The statement read, “Innocent, armless, accommodating and committed citizens of Plateau State have continued to live under the perennial unsavory reality of perpetual terrorism manifesting as kidnappings for ransom, rape, maiming and killings as well as threats of total annihilation.
“On a daily basis, people are kidnapped from their houses and living with the fear that same will happen the next day elsewhere or in their neighborhood unabatedly, with huge sums paid as ransom.
“These worrisome and sad turn of events is severely bleeding the resources of the people and ultimately wrecking the economy of the state in general, resulting in further increase in the sufferings that have characterized the life of ordinary citizens who abinitio have mostly been living below ,at or only slightly above the poverty line.
“People face the brazen reality of being attacked, injured and or murdered in cold blood while their homes, farmlands and means of livelihoods are completely destroyed with no end in sight to these hostilities.”
Plateau NMA called on security agencies to step up their performances so the killings can stop immediately.
“A society that abhors justice is only opening her doors to anarchy and lawlessness.
“Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done for all sorts and shades of criminality because this is the only way that sustainable peace can actually be achieved.
“The evil perpetrators of these heinous crimes cannot continue to remain “unknown gunmen” for close to two decades now.
“The security agencies should as a matter of urgency, do more to restore the confidence of the exasperated public so that reliable intelligence is made available to them, which they should act swiftly upon.
“We enjoin the security forces and Government to genuinely commit to doing more to prevent further incidences rather than taking reactive approaches on issues that a little more mindfulness, sincerity and commitment could nip in the bud.”
