OPC Urges Plateau to End Selective Security After Attack

TL;DR: OPC reformed leader Ambassador Dare Adesope urged Plateau State authorities to stop selective security after a farmer’s hand was cut off in a Fulani herdsmen attack. The group says all Nigerians deserve equal protection under the law.

OPC reformed leader Ambassador Dare Adesope issued a statement citing the Nigerian Constitution’s guarantee that every citizen may live, work, and own property anywhere in the country. He said governments at all levels, especially state governments, must ensure the safety and security of all residents without discrimination.

He highlighted ongoing insecurity in Plateau State, noting repeated attacks that have harmed families and destroyed property, especially affecting non‑indigenous communities such as the Yoruba who have lived peacefully and contributed to the state’s economy.

According to the statement, a farmer named Isaach Bamgbola had his hand severed with a cutlass during an attack by Fulani herdsmen. The incident occurred in Matale Village, Imeko‑Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State.

OPC reformed said the attack was followed by a confrontation in which local OPC members subdued the assailants and handed them to police. The group stressed that security should never be selective and that every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, deserves equal protection under the law.

The call underscores a broader demand for uniform security policies across Nigeria’s states, especially where communal tensions flare. Observers note that selective security can erode trust between communities and state institutions.

Legal experts point out that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of movement and property ownership for all citizens, a principle the OPC says must be enforced through impartial law enforcement.

Implementing non‑discriminatory security could reduce retaliatory violence and encourage investment in affected areas, though challenges remain in coordinating federal, state, and local agencies.

Analysts will watch whether Plateau State issues a concrete security plan and whether the federal government steps in to oversee investigations into the attack.