Summary: Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has stirred controversy after calling on Nigerian security agencies to arrest Pastor Jemimah David, a Northern clergywoman, over allegations that she incited Plateau youths to take up arms against their attackers.
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The tension simmering across the Plateau State crisis has taken a new turn as Bashir Ahmad, former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has publicly called on Nigerian security agencies to move against a Northern clergywoman identified as Pastor Jemimah David.
Ahmad’s demand comes amid growing frustration and outrage among communities in Plateau State who have repeatedly suffered violent attacks. The former presidential spokesperson alleged that Pastor Jemimah David made statements capable of inciting youths in Plateau State to take up arms against those attacking their communities.
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What Is Going On?
The Plateau State crisis is not new to Nigerians. For years, communities — particularly in the North-Central region — have endured repeated cycles of violence, with farmers and residents bearing the brunt of brutal attacks. The pain, grief, and helplessness felt by survivors have made many question whether the government truly has their backs.
It is against this backdrop that Pastor Jemimah David, a clergywoman from the North, reportedly made statements that Bashir Ahmad believes cross the line from pastoral concern into dangerous incitement.
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Bashir Ahmad’s Position
Ahmad, who built a strong social media presence during his years in Aso Rock, took to his platform to demand that security agencies take action against the pastor. In his view, calling on youths to arm themselves — regardless of the provocations they have faced — is an act that could pour more fuel on an already raging fire.
His argument is simple: two wrongs do not make a right, and any voice encouraging self-armed resistance, no matter how understandable the frustration, must be held accountable under Nigerian law.
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Nigerians Are Divided
As expected, Nigerians have not taken this lightly. Many on social media have pushed back hard against Ahmad’s call, arguing that:
– Communities in Plateau have been abandoned by the government and security forces
– The pastor was merely voicing the desperation of a people who have been left to fend for themselves
– It is hypocritical to call for the arrest of a victim-advocate while those carrying out the actual attacks roam free
Others, however, agree with Ahmad that inflammatory rhetoric — even when born out of genuine pain — can escalate an already dangerous situation and lead to more innocent deaths.
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The Bigger Picture
This incident once again shines a spotlight on the festering security crisis* in Plateau State and the broader North-Central region. When ordinary citizens, including clergypeople, begin calling for self-defence, it is a loud signal that *the state has failed in its primary duty — protecting lives.
The question Nigerians must ask is not just whether Pastor Jemimah David should be arrested, but why communities in Plateau have been pushed to such a point of desperation that a pastor feels the need to make such a call in the first place.
Until the government addresses the root causes of violence in Plateau State with the same urgency it applies to silencing those who speak out, the crisis will continue — and voices like Pastor Jemimah David’s will only grow louder.
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What do you think? Should Pastor Jemimah David be arrested, or is Bashir Ahmad missing the point entirely? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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