By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos—The Anaguta people of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State are disenchanted with the administration of Governor Simon Lalong, saying his administration has deliberately failed to recognize its people in appointments to key positions.

Simon Lalong

The Anaguta people, who are the aborigines of Jos North lamented that the Governor is also planning to suppress them by “taking away their ancestral lands and traditional institutions and giving them to non-indigenes.”

Addressing journalists in Jos yesterday, the President of Anaguta Youth Movement, AYM, Emni Nyam stated that previous administrations both civilian and military recognized the status of the Anaguta people and accorded them their rightful place but the reverse was the case now.

According to him, “Anaguta people are the aborigines of Jos in general. Till date, all districts and chiefdoms in and under Jos North local government area are under the paramount ruler of the Anaguta people, the Ujah of Anaguta who is in-charge of all the District Heads in Jos North.

“Previous administrations in Plateau State have recognized the Anaguta people in terms of political appointment especially as regards to membership in the State Executive Council as well as other sensitive appointments in the State and Jos North local government area.

“The present administration of Governor Lalong has deliberately and craftily failed, refused and neglected to follow the right and proper precedent and solid foundation laid by the previous administrations in recognizing and honouring the Anaguta people.

“The administration did not appoint any Anaguta person as a Commissioner from Jos North and even in appointment of membership of the Transition and Implementation Committee of the Council.”

“It is not in the interest of peaceful co-existence not only in Jos North local government area but Plateau state and Nigeria because no community regardless of its size will remain silent when such evil is perpetuated against it.”

Reacting to the issue, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Mark Longyen denied the allegations stressing that the governor is committed to carry all the tribes in the state along in governance.

According to him, “The Anaguta people are not being marginalized; we are calling on them to be patient because all the tribes in the local government are eligible for appointment. Governor Lalong is applying principle of balance and is not marginalizing any tribe; they would also be carried along in government.”