From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
The Plateau State Police Command has said that it will not tolerate any protest by staff of local government areas in the state over the sealing of their secretariats by the police.
Former Inspector General of Police, Baba Usman Alkali, had ordered the sealing of the secretariats following a furore that arose over the sack of all the 17 elected chairmen and their replacement with transition committees.
However the police, in a statement signed by the spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, said that they got intelligence reports that some group of persons in the name of Local Government Unions are planning a protest in the state.
The statement said, “It will be recalled that on 15/06/2023, the Inspector General of Police ordered the sealing of all 17 Local Government Secretariats on the Plateau due to intelligence received that some hoodlums are trying to unleash mayhem in all the Local Government Areas of the State, due to dissatisfaction springing from the appointment of interim chairmen by the newly inaugurated State Government.
The action became necessary as our proactive/statutory duty of the Police, as we are duty bound to intervene in the face of any treat or break down of law and due to the several acts of lawlessness exhibited by some persons in some local government secretariat, hence we took the action to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the 17 LGAs.
The Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, during his visit to Plateau State on 19th July, 2023, advised the NLC chairman and other Local Government Unions present at the stakeholders meeting to be patient and not to take laws into their hands, to enable him work out an acceptable solution to ensure that peace on the Plateau is sustained.
“But Unfortunately today (Tuesday), intelligence at our disposal revealed that some group of persons in the name of Local Government Unions are planning a protest in the state.
“The Commissioner of Police CP Bartholomew N. Onyeka psc(+) therefore warns that the security situation in the state is still fragile and will not fold it’s arms and watch any form of threat to the corporate existence of the state and the fragile peace that we are currently enjoying in the State.
“The CP further warns that in event of any breakdown of law and order, destruction of life and properties, the leaders of these groups will be fished out and made to face the law, as the case between the State and Local Government Councils in question is still in court.”
The command therefore called citizens of Plateau to go about their lawful businesses while we await the judgement of the court.