Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has ordered the arrest of the community leaders of Mangu and Bokkos local government areas of the state following renewed killings in areas.
No fewer than four attacks have been carried out in the state since the beginning of the year resulting in at least 33 deaths.
The latest of the attacks in which seven people were killed and over 10 houses razed took place on Monday night.
Rising from an emergency security meeting which held behind closed doors at the government house Jos, on Tuesday, Gov. Lalong expressed dissatisfaction with the security agencies over their failure to arrest perpetrators of the attacks.
A statement issued by the Director of Press, Simon Maku, after the security meeting read: “Incensed by the murder of villagers and destruction of properties in Kwatas Village of Bokkos Local Government Council, Plateau State Gov Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has met with stakeholders which include heads of security agencies, Traditional Rulers, Community Leaders and Ardos representing the Fulani community at the government house where he insisted that the perpetrators must be fished out immediately.
“The Governor who addressed the stakeholders at the Government House, Little Rayfield-Jos, expressed anger over the incident which he said will not be allowed to degenerate further and make nonsense of the efforts put in to restore peace to the state, insisting that nobody is above Government.
The Governor wondered, “How can they say that people are killed and there is no arrest. Are those killing others spirits? I don’t think you can kill 15 human beings and claim you are spirit and there is no arrest.”
According to the statement, the Governor stated further: “Commissioner of Police, you should take the community leaders and the Ardos with you so that they can tell you those behind these killings. By the time you go to cell, you will bring out those people that are doing it. If you want to give evidence, give it to the commissioner of police. We are not afraid of criminals.
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“Some community leaders and Ardos have done their best but within us, there are criminals. We must expose them no matter how high. If you are one of them, you better take yourself to the police station. The Army is here, Police, Civil Defence, DSS, and Operation Rainbow. I want those people today.
“They should not sleep in their houses. By the time they are arrested, we will solve this problem”.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, Isaac Akimoyede while briefing the Governor on the crises and the efforts to address it said that he held a meeting with the community leaders last Saturday based on intelligence where he warned against any breach of the peace.
He said: “Since I have been in the state since February, no event of this magnitude has happened. We have been investigating the incident in Mangun and then this.
“We cannot continue in this situation in the State. The security Agencies have resolved that those people killing must be arrested no matter how highly placed. Peace must return to this state as we cannot continue in this situation.
“If anyone has grievances, he should come up and say it so that we can find solution, not to take the laws into his hand and kill. We will not allow it.”
The CP assured the Governor that security personnel have been deployed in the troubled areas to curtail further spread of the crises.
