…crises attempt to disrupt peace in Plateau – Lawmakers
From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the relocation of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone, Musa Haladu to Jos, the Plateau state capital to quench the raging sectarian strife, which has so far killed 195 people
The IGP said the AIG will stay in Jos until normalcy was restored to the three local government areas of Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu where persons said to be Fulani herders had attacked the agrarian communities on Christmas Eve.
Speaking to newsmen after visiting Gov. Caleb Mutfwang in Little Rayfield on Friday, Egbetokun instructed the AIG to move with all his tactical units so as to reach all the nooks and crannies of the affected localities.
He said, “I have given directives for the deployment of tactical units to go into those affected areas and those other areas that are vulnerable.
“We I have specific instruction of Mr. President to fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act and to ensure that in the killings in this state stops, and that’s what we are committed to.
“We have started by deploying adequately. We are responding appropriately to this incident and we are not going to sweep it under the carpet we are taking.
“We are deploying all our resources to ensure that this doesn’t happen again in Plateau State. I also informed the people when I was in the Governor’s office that a special operation has commenced in this state today with the deployment of the tactical units.
“You can see me coming with the DIG operations. The DIG intelligence is here with me. The AIG wing is here with me. The AIG of the Zone is also here with me.
“The AIG of the Zone has been ordered to relocate to Plateau until we record success in the operation that we are starting today and this operation, this special operation that we are starting today, which will form the nucleus of our special Interventions squad.”
“I am also here to give confidence to the people in the affected areas and the people of Plateau state generally. We have increased our deployment. I have made it public previously that the Special Interventions Squad is going to commence in 10 pilot states in Nigeria, including Plateau State.
“I believe that with this we are going to dominate the affected areas and ensure that the criminals are brought to book and they don’t come back for any attack.”
He commiserated with the government and people of Plateau state for the unfortunate incident.
Meanwhile the Plateau State House of Assembly has described the recent attacks as attempts to disrupt the relative peace in the state.
Addressing newsmen in Jos on Friday, the Speaker, Gabriel Dawan, expressed dismay at the sporadic and spontaneous attacks on the three local government areas, especially when they were celebrating Christmas.
Flanked by seven members of the house, Dewan “condemned in strong terms,the Christmas Eve attack on some communities of Bokkos,Mangu and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State,which led to the loss of over one hundred lives, with many houses burnt and properties lost.”
The House commended the immediate action taken by the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang and Vice President Kashim Shettima in dousing the tension and to contain the security upheaval in the State.
While describing the attack on innocent citizens as barbaric,callous, unprovoked and heinous, the House appealed to the Plateau State Government and the Federal Government not to relent in their efforts towards ensuring that normalcy returns to the affected communities.